Jazmin Li
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is located 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charlotte, North Carolina's central business district. It is a relatively small airport that is easy to navigate on foot, with no need for trams or light rail. The airport has one passenger terminal with 124 gates across five concourses, all of which are connected, making it straightforward to get from one end of the airport to the other. While it can be a long walk, many travellers find it less confusing than larger airports.
What You'll Learn
Ease of navigation
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is located 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charlotte, North Carolina's central business district. It is a relatively small airport with just one passenger terminal and five concourses, all of which are connected, so it is fairly easy to navigate on foot. There is no need for trams or light rail to move between terminals, which makes getting from one end of the airport to the other relatively straightforward. The airport is also not particularly confusing to navigate, according to some travellers.
The airport has an interactive map that can be used to find gates and flight information. In addition, the airport has an "Interconnected" digital art installation by Refik Anadol in Concourse A North, which visualises the airport's data network of aircraft movements in a constantly changing display.
The original passenger terminal still exists and is used for offices and training rooms by various aviation-related organisations. The airport also has a main terminal, Concourses A, B, D, and E, and a central hub. While it can be a long walk to get from one end of the airport to the other, there are plenty of open seating areas, and travellers recommend Concourse A and E as good places to wait during a layover.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a fortress hub for American Airlines, which operates most of the airport's flights. The airport has three operating runways and one non-operating runway. In 2021, it was the sixth busiest airport in the United States, processing over 50 million passengers.
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Passenger experience
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, located 6 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina's central business district, has been described by passengers as "straightforward" and "easy to navigate". The airport has one passenger terminal with 124 gates across five concourses, all connected, so there is no need for trams or other means of transportation within the airport. This makes getting from one end of the airport to the other relatively convenient, despite the potential for long hauls due to the airport's large size.
The airport is a fortress hub for American Airlines, which operates most of the airport's flights. In 2013, Charlotte became the second-largest hub for the merged US Airways and American Airlines, after Dallas/Fort Worth. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is also home to the Charlotte Air National Guard base and its host unit, the 145th Airlift Wing of the North Carolina Air National Guard.
Passengers have reported positive experiences at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, praising the speed and ease of their experiences, as well as the friendliness of the staff. The airport has also been described as "big" and having "a lot of businesses". The original passenger terminal still exists and is used for offices and training rooms by various aviation-related organisations.
In terms of passenger traffic, Charlotte Douglas International Airport has experienced significant growth. In 2019, it was the 11th busiest airport in the United States, processing over 50 million passengers. By 2021, it had become the sixth busiest airport in the country. To accommodate this growth, the airport has undergone several expansions and developments. Concourse A North, a nine-gate expansion, was completed in 2018, featuring digital artwork by Refik Anadol.
Overall, passengers can expect a positive and efficient experience at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The airport is well-connected, with concourses that are easily navigable, and it offers a variety of amenities and services to meet travellers' needs.
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History of the airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (IATA: CLT, ICAO: KCLT, FAA LID: CLT) is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, roughly 6 miles (9.7 km) west of the city's central business district. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, it was the largest single Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in the United States at the time, incorporating a terminal, hangar, beacon tower, and three runways. The airport opened in 1936 and Eastern Air Lines began scheduled passenger service in 1937.
In early 1941, the United States Army Air Forces took control of the airport and established Charlotte Air Base, which was soon renamed Morris Field after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The US military invested over $5 million in airfield improvements before the facility was returned to the City of Charlotte in 1946. In 1954, a new 70,000-square-foot passenger terminal opened, and the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport in honour of former Charlotte Mayor Ben Elbert Douglas Sr., who had overseen the airport's opening two decades earlier.
In the late 1970s, airline deregulation led to a surge in passenger numbers, and in 1979, Piedmont Airlines chose Charlotte as the hub for its expanding network. A new 325,000-square-foot passenger terminal, designed by Odell Associates, opened in 1982, along with a new parallel runway and control tower. With this expansion, the airport was renamed Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Over the years, the airport has undergone further developments, including the expansion of Concourses B and C, the construction of Concourse A, and the addition of a new international and commuter concourse (Concourse D). In 2005, US Airways was acquired by America West Airlines, and Charlotte remained its primary domestic hub. Between 2007 and 2015, the airport completed $1.5 billion worth of construction projects, including a new airport entrance roadway, hourly parking decks, a centralised rental car facility, and an expansion of the east-side terminal lobby. In 2013, following the merger of US Airways and American Airlines, Charlotte became the second-largest hub for the merged airline.
Today, Charlotte Douglas International Airport continues to be a significant aviation hub, serving both commercial and military purposes.
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Concourse facilities
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, located 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charlotte, North Carolina's central business district, is a relatively small airport with just one passenger terminal. This makes it easy to navigate, with no need for trams or other intra-airport transport. The terminal has 124 gates across five concourses: A, B, C, D, and E.
Concourse A was built in 1986 to handle future growth, and a nine-gate expansion, Concourse A North, was completed in 2018. This concourse features the digital artwork "Interconnected" by Refik Anadol, displayed on three massive screens. Air Canada, JetBlue, United, Southwest, Frontier, and Spirit all operate from Concourse A North. Concourse B was expanded in 1987, and Concourse C in 1984. Concourse D, an 80,000-square-foot international and commuter concourse, opened in 1990.
The concourses are all connected, and there are plenty of open seating areas. One traveller recommends Concourse E as a quiet place to relax, as it is tucked away and usually sparsely populated.
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Airport size
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, located 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charlotte, North Carolina's central business district, covers 5,558 acres (2,249 ha) of land. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, it is relatively small compared to other hub airports in the US. This makes it easy to walk from terminal to terminal, and it is generally considered straightforward and not confusing to navigate. The airport has one passenger terminal with 124 gates across five concourses, all connected, so there is no need for trams or other means of transportation within the airport. The airport is also home to the Charlotte Air National Guard base and its host unit, the 145th Airlift Wing of the North Carolina Air National Guard.
The original passenger terminal, opened in 1954, had two floors, with passenger operations confined to the ground floor. The terminal was expanded over the years, with Concourses B and C expanded in 1987 and 1984, respectively, and Concourse A built in 1986 to handle future growth. In 1989, Piedmont Airlines, which had chosen Charlotte as the hub for its expanding network in 1979, merged with USAir, and the merged operations kept the USAir name. A new international and commuter concourse (Concourse D) opened in 1990, further expanding the airport's capacity.
In 2015, airport officials announced the completion of the "CLT 2015" plan and began construction on the new Destination CLT airport development plan, representing a $2.5 billion investment in the airport's future growth. Concourse A North, a nine-gate expansion completed in summer 2018, added gates for several airlines and featured a digital artwork titled "Interconnected" by Refik Anadol.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport has continued to grow and expand since its establishment, becoming the sixth busiest airport in the United States in 2021. Despite its growth, the airport remains relatively easy to navigate due to its compact size compared to other major US airports.
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Frequently asked questions
Charlotte, NC Airport is not confusing to navigate. The airport is relatively small and easy to traverse, with all concourses connected, so there is no need for trams or trains.
No, there is only one passenger terminal with five concourses, all connected, so you do not need to change terminals.
Yes, there is an Amex lounge, but it can get busy. There are also many open seating areas.
Charlotte, NC Airport is a busy airport, ranking 11th in the US in terms of passenger traffic in 2019, with over 50 million passengers. However, some parts of the airport, like Concourse E, are tucked away and sparsely populated.
No, there is no public transport available within the airport. However, due to its small size, you can easily walk from one end to the other.
