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Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is an international airport serving Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Located roughly 6 miles west of the city's central business district, the airport covers 5,558 acres of land. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is one of the few airports in the United States with a public viewing area, where visitors can watch planes take off, land, and taxi. The airport has a long history, originally established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport and later renamed Douglas Municipal Airport in honour of former Charlotte Mayor Ben Elbert Douglas Sr.
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What You'll Learn
Charlotte Douglas International Airport's address
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. The airport is about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of the city's central business district. It is a commercial-civil-military facility, serving as the primary airport for the Charlotte metropolitan area.
The address of Charlotte Douglas International Airport is 5501 Josh Birmingham Parkway, Charlotte, NC, USA. The airport is accessible via multiple routes, including Interstates I-277, I-77, and I-85, as well as US-74 and US-29. Exits along these routes lead to either Little Rock Road or Billy Graham Parkway, which both connect to Josh Birmingham Parkway near the airport entrance.
The airport is named after Ben Elbert Douglas Sr., who was the mayor of Charlotte when the airport was first established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport. It was later renamed Douglas Municipal Airport in his honour in 1954. In 1982, the airport was renamed again to its current name, Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States, ranking sixth in 2021. It has three operating runways, one passenger terminal with 124 gates across five concourses, and five modern terminals. The airport covers 5,558 acres (2,249 hectares) of land and processed over 50 million passengers in 2019.
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The airport's history
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of the city's central business district. The airport covers 5,558 acres (2,249 ha) of land and is operated by the city of Charlotte's aviation department.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport was established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport. The building work began in 1930 and was completed in 1936 at a cost of around $200,000. In its early years, the airport was operated by the City of Charlotte, and Eastern Air Lines began scheduled passenger service in 1937.
During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces took control of the airport and established Charlotte Air Base in 1941. The airfield was renamed Morris Field soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The US military invested over $5 million in airfield improvements before returning the facility 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 after former Charlotte Mayor Ben Elbert Douglas Sr. During the 1960s, the airport underwent significant expansion, including the construction of a new concourse. In 1979, a new runway and control tower were added, followed by a large passenger terminal in 1982. With this expansion, the airport was renamed Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Between 2007 and 2015, the airport underwent extensive construction projects, including a new airport entrance roadway, hourly parking decks, and an expansion of the east-side terminal lobby. In 2019, CLT was the 11th busiest airport in the United States in terms of passenger traffic, handling over 50 million passengers. By 2021, it had grown to become the sixth busiest airport in the country.
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Airlines operating from the airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (IATA: CLT, ICAO: KCLT, FAA LID: CLT) is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) west of the city's central business district. The airport, established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, has been renamed several times before receiving its current name in 1982. It is a commercial-civil-military facility, serving as the primary airport for commercial and military use in the Charlotte metropolitan area.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport has been a fortress hub for American Airlines, which operates the majority of the airport's flights. In 2025, the airline reported being close to capacity at CLT, maintaining a strong presence while navigating economic challenges. American Airlines offers thousands of daily flights to over 350 destinations across more than 60 countries. The airline considers Charlotte a significant hub due to its efficiency, geographical advantage, and low connection costs.
In addition to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines has also provided scheduled passenger service from Charlotte Douglas International Airport since 1956. Other airlines that have operated from the airport include Eastern Air Lines, Piedmont, Capital, Southern, and United. Eastern Air Lines commenced scheduled passenger service in 1937, making it one of the earliest airlines to operate from the airport.
The airport's rental car facility, located in front of the terminal, offers a combined 3,000 cars from eight rental car companies: Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. These companies have customer counters and kiosks on Level 2 of the lobby, providing convenient access to their rental services.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is also unique in having an aviation museum on-site, the Sullenberger Aviation Museum. Established in 1992, the museum boasts a collection of over 50 aircraft, including rare exhibits such as one of only two surviving Douglas D-558 Skystreak aircraft and the oldest surviving U.S.-built Harrier.
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Driving directions to the airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Here are some driving directions to the airport:
If you are coming from the north, take I-277 to I-77 South. Then, take Exit 6B to Billy Graham Parkway and travel for about five miles. You will go through three traffic lights and then take the Charlotte Douglas International Airport exit. Signs along Josh Birmingham Parkway will indicate parking availability and locations.
Alternatively, you can take Exit 33 to Billy Graham Parkway and travel for about one and a half miles. Exit on Josh Birmingham Parkway at the sign for the airport.
If you are coming from the south, take I-277 S/US-74 W and continue onto US-74 W/Wilkinson Boulevard. Travel for approximately four and a half miles. Turn right onto Josh Birmingham Parkway at the airport entrance. Signs along Wilkinson Boulevard and Josh Birmingham Parkway will indicate parking availability and locations.
You can also take Exit 9 to US-29 N/US-74 E/Wilkinson Boulevard toward the airport. Travel for about two and a half miles on Wilkinson Boulevard, and then turn right onto Josh Birmingham Parkway at the airport entrance.
Another option is to take Exit 10 toward I-85 S/Greensboro and keep left at the fork to continue toward US-29 N/US-74 E/Wilkinson Boulevard. Take Exit 32 to Little Rock Road and head south. Go straight through the traffic lights and continue onto North Josh Birmingham Parkway. Cross Wilkinson Boulevard to reach the airport entrance.
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Airport facilities
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, located about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charlotte, North Carolina, is a bustling aviation hub with a range of facilities to serve its millions of annual passengers. The airport has a long history, established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, and has grown to become one of the busiest airports in the United States.
Runways and Terminals
The airport boasts three operating runways and one passenger terminal with 124 gates across five concourses. The terminal has a unique design, with the ticketing and baggage claim areas on each side of an open space, and a mezzanine level featuring a restaurant and airline offices. The East Terminal Expansion, opened in 2019, added 51,000 square feet of space, with "The Plaza" food court as its centrepiece. The airport is also constructing a new 367-foot air traffic control tower, which will be the second-tallest in the United States.
Parking and Roadways
Charlotte Douglas International Airport offers ample parking options, with signs indicating parking availability and locations along Wilkinson Boulevard and Josh Birmingham Parkway. The airport has also recently completed construction projects, including a new airport entrance roadway with sixteen lanes over two levels, separating departures and arrivals traffic.
Public Transport
The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) provides convenient bus connections to and from the airport, with Route 5-Airport (Sprinter) connecting to Uptown Charlotte and Route 60-Tyvola Road leading to the LYNX Tyvola station. A proposed Lynx Silver Line would also serve the airport, following a similar route to the Sprinter.
Smoking Areas
As a smoke-free facility, smoking is prohibited inside the terminal. However, the airport provides a designated smoking area that is easily accessible from inside and outside the terminal, located near Door 1A or Door 1B.
Viewing Areas
Aviation enthusiasts and plane spotters can enjoy the public viewing area, "The Overlook", where they can watch planes take off, land, and taxi. This area provides a unique perspective on the airport's operations.
Other Amenities
The airport also features an aviation museum, adding to its range of facilities and services.
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Frequently asked questions
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is located in North Carolina, USA.
The address of the airport is 5501 Josh Birmingham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28208, USA.
The airport is primarily used for commercial and military purposes in the Charlotte metropolitan area.
