Wait—Where is Gate C-1? Here’s the Scoop

File it under things about CLT Airport that you probably didn’t know or may have missed: Where is Gate C-1?

In this edition of the CLTea blog, we spoke with the Airport’s original architect to discover the story behind the missing gate:

The Mystery of the Missing Gate

For passengers boarding their flights in Concourse C, it only takes a quick look around at the gate numbering know something is awry. You aren’t imagining things! You won’t find Gate C-1 at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) because it no longer exists.

No matter how hard you search, C-1 is not one of the 19 gates currently located on Concourse C. You will only find Gates C-2 through C-19.

If you’re wondering why, it’s a bit of an architectural anomaly.

When construction began on the new CLT Terminal in 1978, the original project included the terminal building and connectors to Concourses B and C, each featuring ten gates. Five additional gates were added to Concourse C before the terminal opened in 1982.

However, according to Roy Johnson, the architect and former project manager for Odell Associates, Gate C-1 was removed to accommodate the construction of the terminal's Atrium addition, which opened in 1994.

“The building (Atrium) was added to the south side of the terminal, and with the new connectors and the depth of the addition, it no longer allowed space to operate a loading bridge and a plane to and from the original C-1 gate,” said Johnson.

So, gate C-1 was taken away.

Phenomenal Growth

Since then, Johnson has closely observed the growth and development of the Airport he helped design and construct.

“The much-increased space and more exciting finishes, such as the terrazzo floors and the art, including Queen Charlotte, were not possible in the $17 million budget in 1978,” said Johnson. “And the 3 million passengers in 1982 didn’t need the facility that the nearly 60 million passengers require today.”

In 2024, CLT set a record, welcoming 58.8 million passengers, marking a 10- percent increase from the previous record of 53.4 million passengers set in 2023.

CLT Airport continues to grow as part of the $4 billion Destination CLT project. In September 2025, the Airport completed its Terminal Lobby Expansion (TLE), which added 175,000 square feet to the lobby and renovated 191,000 square feet of existing space. The new fourth parallel runway is under construction and is scheduled to be finished in the fall of 2027.