Charlotte’s airport is receiving $15 million in federal funding to replace 16 passenger bridges connecting terminal gates to planes, the Biden-Harris Administration announced Thursday.
It’s part of a $970-million investment from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminals Program to improve 125 locations in 46 states, Guam and Palau. The FAA is awarding the money from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
That funding also covers Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which is receiving $12 million to expand the ticketing check-in/lobby, baggage claim areas, security checkpoint and international arrival processing area, according to a news release from Sen. Thom Tillis, R- NC.
Passenger bridges connect gates in terminals to aircraft. There are 123 gates at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, with 121 boarding bridges. There are two gates on Concourse E with Remote Boarding Ramps, according to the airport.
The new grant, along with a $27 million grant awarded in February, provides funding for replacing up to 32 bridges and associated support equipment and design, according to CLT.
The upgrades will improve the passenger experience at CLT, said Shannetta Griffin, FAA associate administrator for airports. It’s also going to have a financial impact in Charlotte by providing jobs in the area.
“We’re seeing a lot of success across the country and in Charlotte in regards to modernizing our terminals,” Griffin told The Charlotte Observer.
Airlines are also changing the way they do business by adding more space for passengers and concessions for convenience. The improvements allows Charlotte’s airport to stay competitive too, Griffin said.
“It helps them with the airlines that they have existing and new airlines they’re planning to bring in to the airport,” Griffin added.
Modernizing Charlotte’s airport
In a statement, airport officials praised the U.S Department of Transportation and to federal legislators for supporting the replacement of the bridges.
“As CLT builds an airport for the future, these upgrades are part of a broader initiative to modernize the airport and reduce maintenance costs while enhancing the overall passenger experience and operational efficiency,” they said in the statement.
Other infrastructure work at CLT airport
CLT also received $32 million in fiscal year 2023 added: for a $50 million construction plan for Concourse E, which went towards updating restrooms, hold rooms and circulation areas, according to the airport. Concourse E is the busiest section at CLT with more 400 daily arrivals and departures.
In September, the FAA announced a $290-million commitment from its Airport Improvement Program to help build a new runway to handle increasing flight traffic.
The 10,000-foot-long by 150-foot-wide project, with an overall cost of $1 billion is scheduled to be ready by 2027 and will allow for 20 additional airplane arrivals and departures during peak hours in 2028 and 32 in 2033, according to CLT projections.
“There’s not a lot of airports across the country that are building out a new runway,” Griffin said.
Charlotte Douglas is the seventh busiest airport in the world for arrivals and departures, according to the Airports Council International. Charlotte’s airport set a record of 53.4 million passengers last year — an 11.9% increase from 2022, according to ACI.
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