As more planes take off every year at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, improvements — including expanded concourses and more runways — are underway to make the experience less stressful for passengers.
The 42-year-old airport served 53.4 million travelers in 2023 — an 11.9% increase from 2022, according to the Airports Council International-North America. Charlotte’s airport was ninth overall among others in the United States with increased passenger traffic.
Additionally, Charlotte Douglas ranked seventh in the U.S. for takeoffs and landings with 539,066 flights, according to ACI-NA. This is a 6.6% increase from 2022. American Airlines accounts for about 87% of the flights at CLT. Charlotte Douglas is the second-largest hub for the Fort Worth, Texas-based company.
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With more passengers and flights, CLT officials are preparing for the future with construction projects though its “Destination CLT” plan. To improve an airport originally designed to handle 2.8 million passengers, as much as $2.5 billion to $3.1 billion will be spent to renovate and expand the facility for visitors. The initiative is part of the airport’s master plan for future and long-term airfield and terminal development through 2035.
Many passengers have raised concerns about traffic and wait times at ticket counters, baggage drops and security checkpoints.
Below are some of the projects that may bring more compliments than complaints when they’re finished.
What’s the latest accomplishment?
In late July, CLT opened two new sky bridges connecting the hourly parking deck and the terminal. It’s part of Charlotte Douglas’ lobby expansion work. Passengers dropping off passengers can also avoid busy traffic lines on the lower level arrivals area.
A 146,000-square-foot glass canopy also provides weather protection for passengers and airport workers.
The walkways are part of a $608-million lobby expansion project, which is scheduled for completion in 2025. CLT is now in the fifth of sixth phases for it. Some of the improvements include consolidating five security checkpoints into three larger spaces, upgrades to ticket counters and baggage claim carousels, along with new concession areas for visitors.
Before adding the bridges, Charlotte Douglas opened a new $8 million overlook at 5130 Airport Overlook Drive. Along with watching planes land and takeoff, some of the features at the site include an aviation-themed playground, covered picnic tables, shaded areas with benches and trees, restrooms with baby changing stations, pet relief areas and bicycle racks.
What’s next?
Here are some of the improvements passengers and pilots will see in the upcoming years.
▪ In the fall, CLT is scheduled to open the next phase of Concourse A by adding 10 more gates for passengers. Construction began in May 2022 and will cost of $241 million, according to Charlotte Douglas’ website.
A previous Concourse A expansion added nine gates in summer 2018 after two years of construction. The project had a $200 million price tag. It added nine gates, a concrete ramp and taxi lanes.
▪ CLT’s $50-million expansion for Concourse E was completed in February 2022. It created 34,000 square feet of space to the north side of facility. Jet bridges to all gates were also a part of the plans.
▪ Work is also underway for the future fourth parallel runway, a project with a cost of $1 billion. It will accommodate the airport’s increasing flight traffic and will be 10,000 feet long and 150 feet wide.
▪ Construction crews are also working on taxiways tied to the parallel runway, which will help reduce aircraft crossings and delays at CLT.
▪ Designers are making plans for the South Ramp Expansion to reduce aircraft congestion. The first phase for construction is scheduled to start September 2025 and will be finished by September 2028. The next phase is slated to start later in 2028, with a estimated completion date of March 2030. It will cost $405 million for this project.
▪ Additional gates for concourses C and B are also planned. Design work and construction timelines have not been scheduled yet, according to the airport. The estimated cost for the projects are listed at $463 million.
CLT names developer for airport’s ‘front door’
In January, the airport began looking for firms to submit construction proposals for its Destination District near Wilkinson Boulevard. The idea includes an area with retail, hospitality and commercial spaces on land owned by Charlotte Douglas.
The development is near the Steele Creek neighborhood, home of Steele Creek Presbyterian Church. A manse was demolished by the airport, which recently sparked public outcry because of transparency issues, The Charlotte Observer, recently reported.
Airport leaders picked Charlotte-based Crosland Southeast as the developer to negotiate the next phase of the project, a CLT spokesperson confirmed to The Charlotte Observer.
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Crosland Southeast will lead work for the 39-acre Destination District Central site. It’s located at the intersection of North Josh Birmingham Parkway and Wilkinson Boulevard.
Negotiations between the developer and Charlotte Douglas are underway. The next steps include finalizing an agreement and approval from Charlotte City Council members, airport officials said.
Another 51-acre site at the intersection of Stafford Drive and Wilkinson Boulevard originally was considered for manufacturing and distribution warehouses. But it’s no longer a part of the Destination District. It’s now being evaluated for other uses, according to the airport.
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