News Stories

This Thanksgiving, the dinner table has some competition as the hottest holiday destination. The Airport is expecting its biggest travel season yet with an estimated 1.02 million passengers departing CLT Thursday, Nov. 21 through Monday, Dec. 2. That’s 7% above last year. The busiest days will be the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Saturday, Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving with over 90,000 departing passengers daily. Projections show on each of those days more than 38,000 local passengers will pass through TSA checkpoints at CLT, outpacing this year’s average of approximately 33,400 daily security screenings.

Step into the future of airport luxury with Clockwork, the new robotic manicure station at Charlotte Douglas International Airport that’s transforming layovers into glamorous touch-ups. Paradies Lagardère, CLT’s retail concessionaire, is offering the latest beauty trend at Charlotte Supply Co. in The Plaza. Clockwork provides customers with a user-friendly, self-serve manicure that is quick, easy, affordable and as eye-catching as any spa manicure.

When it comes to concessions at CLT, the more the merrier. With the Airport’s latest addition, it calls for a cheers, or shall we say in German prost? Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (OMB) Biergarten, renowned in the Carolinas for its traditional German-style beer and high-quality food, first debuted to CLT passengers in 2018 as the quick-service-bar Caption Jack’s Tavern on Concourse E. The brewery recently opened a second, more expansive location on Concourse D. In 2024, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery was named the No. 1 “Best Beer Garden” in the U.S. in “USA TODAY’s” annual 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

The 17th annual Runway 5K raised $65,165, its largest amount ever, for Central Piedmont Community College Opportunity Scholarships. The race drew nearly 1,300 runners/walkers to CLT’s airfield on Oct. 19. The scholarships support up to $10,000 per student and are awarded based on their need. Recipients also receive a computer stipend of up to $1,200. Any remaining encumbered funds are deployed back into the scholarship and awarded to future new scholars. The Runway 5K has raised more than $226,000 in scholarship funds since 2019 and has provided a free college education for 20 local students. Of those 20 students, 11 have graduated and/or transferred to a four-year institution. This year’s top male and female winners were Christopher Zuerner of Charlotte crossing the finish line in 15 minutes, 16 seconds, and Milana Harwick of Charlotte with a time of 18 minutes, 39 seconds. Both received 100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles. Mark your calendar. CLT’s next Runway 5K is scheduled for October 2025.

CLT is keeping the allure alive with seven new concessions that will pamper passengers with delicious food, great shopping and local spirits.

Destination CLT, the Airport’s $4 billion capital improvement program, remains on schedule for two of its biggest projects – the Terminal Lobby Expansion and Fourth Parallel Runway. Both will have big impacts at Charlotte Douglas.

Growing up in New Jersey as the daughter of a cross-country truck driver, artist Val Britton developed a fascination with mapping that informs her work. This personal history enriches her narratives, allowing her to connect deeply with her material. For Britton, creating public art is both a privilege and a challenge, as she translates studio work to larger scales. “I never thought I would be able to bring something so personal into work that could be seen by so many people.”

CLT is on track to break its 53.4 million passenger record set in 2023. Mid-year numbers show from January through June 2024 the Airport served 29.5 million passengers, which is up 15.6% from the 25.5 million who flew to from and through Charlotte Douglas during that same period in 2023.

When the Airport’s fourth parallel runway opens in fall 2027, the benefits will have an immediate impact for passengers and airlines. The new runway will provide a 20% to 25% increased capacity...

CLT is on track to break its 50.2 million passenger record set in 2019. Mid-year numbers show from January through June 2023 the Airport served 25.5 million passengers, which is up 4% from the...