The Fourth Parallel Runway: One Year and Counting
The countdown is on!
CLT’s new Fourth Parallel Runway project is now exactly one year away from its scheduled commissioning in fall 2027.
The $1 billion project—which broke ground in 2023—will be designated Runway 1C-19C.
The 10,000-foot-long by 150-foot-wide runway will mean increased arrival and departure capacity, reduced delays and congestion, improved safety and operational resilience, and support airline network growth while protecting long-term regional competitiveness.
Redesignations Complete
In preparation for the Fourth Parallel Runway, the Airport redesignated (renumbered) its three existing North-South runways, working overnight on three separate dates in May, July and September 2026.
This work included repainting the 60-by-20-foot pavement markings and replacing signage:
- Runway 18R-38L became 1L-19R
- Runway 18C-36C became 1R-19L
- Runway 18L-36R reverted to 18-36
The phased redesignations enabled aviation charts to be updated and pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC) to adjust to the changes.
“The success was the result of the Airport staff and contractor combining forces for the night work that required many crews and partnering to mitigate the risks, while changing out signs and re-striping the runway in such a short window of time,” said Ashton Watson, CLT Director of Engineering.
Digital Twin Sensors Installed
The new Fourth Parallel Runway will also have a Digital Twin, making it a “smart runway.”
Nearly 2,000 sensors are being installed at multiple levels beneath the concrete, primarily at the runway's north end before paving is complete.
The sensors will provide a virtual replica of the runway, allowing engineers to collect data and track aircraft movements as they taxi, take off and land. This will help the Airport make real-time maintenance, operational and safety decisions.
The project is a collaboration between CLT and the UNC Charlotte Aviation Innovation & Research (AIR) Institute. Engineering students will work with faculty to analyze and archive the data to develop models and tools to meet FAA and airport research needs nationwide.
Paving In Progress
About 53% of the new Fourth Parallel Runway is currently paved. Here are a few other fun facts:
- 1,198,344 man-hours worked
- 6,523,397 cubic yards of earthwork (about 435,000 truckloads).
- 159,023 feet of pipe installed (or more than 30 miles). This would circle around I-277 in Uptown nearly 7X!
Still To Come
Construction is underway on Fire Station 47, which is being built to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for the Fourth Parallel Runway. Its location at the southern end of the airfield will optimize response times and enhance safety by eliminating the need for responders to cross active runways.
The South End Around Taxiway (SEAT) remains under construction and is set to open in September 2027. It will connect arriving and departing aircraft between the western runways and the terminal ramp and reduce aircraft crossings between runway 1R-19L and the new 1C-19C. (The North End Around Taxiway (NEAT) was completed in Jan. 2025.)
“Only a handful of U.S. airports have the luxury of end-around taxiways: Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Miami and Charlotte,” added Watson.
CLT also needs to complete asphalt shoulders, grooving and runway and taxiway lighting,finish pavement markings and complete grading and seeding between paved surfaces (so water can drain off paved surfaces and slowly infiltrate back into the soil), build navigational aid (NAVAID) sites, install equipment, and test and commission each facility.
FAA Flight-Check
Once paving is complete (likely March 2027) and pavement markings are finished (June 2027), the FAA will flight-check the new runway to ensure everything is properly calibrated and begin final commissioning before the runway officially opens in September 2027. 
Charlotte (CLT) will then join Denver (DEN), Detroit (DTW), Los Angeles (LAX) and Orlando (MCO) with four parallel runways.
Atlanta (ATL) and Dallas (DFW) have five parallel runways, while Chicago O’Hare (ORD) has six parallel – and eight total runways! (That's currently the most in the United States.)