Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), one of the busiest airports in the United States based on flight movements, is undergoing a $4 billion overhaul to make the hub airport more efficient to meet demand. It is also American Airlines’ biggest connecting hub after Dallas/Fort Worth and the country’s third-largest hub among all airlines.
The distance between Charlotte airport and the city center is less than 10 miles. The airport is an American hub, but almost all major U.S. carriers also serve the airport. The departure boards show mostly domestic and Caribbean destinations, but the European network is growing.
Charlotte was not built to be the mega hub it is today. It has served as a hub for airlines like Piedmont (which was acquired by USAir and later rebranded as US Airways), but they did not offer the number of flights and global presence that American now has after its merger with US Airways.
The airport terminal consists of five concourses, with A undergoing a major expansion and E having added new gates to accommodate more regional jets. The airport lacks moving walkways in concourses B and C, which means travelers fill the public pathway and crowds are the norm.
The airport also lacks a tram system to connect between longer distances. It can take at least 20 minutes to briskly walk from the end of E to the end of A.
In addition, the customs and immigration area can be packed in the afternoons when trans-Atlantic and Caribbean flights land, and waits can be lengthy.
This CLT airport map will help you navigate the terminal.
The addition of a canopy over the arrivals road at the airport entrance as well as new overhead walkway connections to the parking garages are all part of the landside renovations that will impress frequent flyers from Charlotte. More work is still to come, too.
More natural light, artwork and sculptures, an information booth fashioned out of a Boeing 777 engine and more seating are now available in the arrivals area. Upstairs, work is ongoing to expand the security areas to the connected concourses, all of which are walkable from the airside areas.
The airport offers TSA PreCheck access but no Clear lanes. My personal experience is that you will often find the longest lines, even for TSA PreCheck, in the early morning hours. Later in the day, lines can be long, but they move fast.
Once you pass through security, you will find yourself in the main atrium, bathed in natural light and featuring Charlotte airport’s famous rocking chairs. The airport is known for kicking off this comfortable seating craze in airports around the world.
Lounges
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Minute Suites, near the food court.
Airlines
Lounges
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The Club CLT, before reaching gate A22.
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Open 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.
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Be Relax Spa, between A and B concourses.
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Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
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Airlines
Lounges
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Admirals Club, between gates B3 and B5.
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Open 5:15 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. daily.
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Airlines
Lounges
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Admirals Club, at the intersection of Concourses C and D.
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Open 5:15 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. daily.
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Airlines
Lounges
Lounges
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Gameway, opposite gate E36.
Airlines
Charlotte airport parking
Charlotte airport has several parking options, including the option to valet your car or reserve parking in advance online. The priciest spots are in the connected garages near the terminal, while the most affordable are in satellite economy lots requiring a shuttle.
Express Deck Preferred
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$24 per day maximum and only available to book online or via the airport app.
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Shuttles take travelers to the terminal, but it is also possible to walk.
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Valets provide assistance with luggage and parking cars.
Express Deck Self-Park
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$20 per day maximum and only available to book online or via the airport app.
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Shuttles take travelers to the terminal, but it is also possible to walk.
Valet parking
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Drop off car on level one of the hourly deck.
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$45 per day maximum, with the best rates available online.
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Valets provide assistance with luggage and parking cars.
Hourly deck
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Parking garage close to terminal.
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$32 per day or $8 per hour; first 15 minutes free. Book online for the best rates.
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Walk to the terminal via an underground or covered pedestrian walkway.
Daily decks
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Shuttles take travelers from the covered station to the terminal.
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Only available to book online or via the airport app.
Daily North Lot
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Shuttles take travelers from the covered station to the terminal.
Long Term Lot 1
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Shuttles take travelers from the covered station to the terminal.
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Only available to book online or via the airport app.
Long Term Lot 2
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Shuttles take travelers from the covered station to the terminal.
The rental car facility is on the second level of the hourly parking deck and serves all rental car companies. These are the rental car companies that operate at Charlotte airport:
Ground transportation from Charlotte airport
Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are prevalent at the airport. You can find them at Door D in the arrivals area. Also, the CATS’ Sprinter service (Route 5 Airport) bus runs every half-hour from the airport to Uptown Charlotte’s transportation center. From there, you can easily walk to many hotels and restaurants. Of course, there are also taxi, limousine and airport hotel shuttles at the airport.
