North Carolina's Newest Airport Terminal Lobby Is A Soaring Hub Of Design, Dining, And Smooth Travel

It's easy to see why Charlotte, North Carolina, is such a popular getaway. Foodies will appreciate the city's culinary scene and must-try restaurants, aesthetes will enjoy the charms of nearby neighborhoods filled with historic homes and boutiques, and men can take heart that it's rated as one of the best destinations for a guys' trip. In the past, one group of professionals wasn't a fan: Pilots secretly despised flying into Charlotte Douglas International Airport, one that's outgrown its space as travel has soared over the years. Travelers, too, have logged a number of laments on Reddit, devoting threads to such airport woes as 45-minute delays at baggage claim and long security queues. That may now change with the $608 million terminal upgrade and expansion recently finished at the airport, considered the world's sixth busiest airport. 

The upgrade couldn't come soon enough for the airport, which has experienced a surge in traffic. Originally built in 1982 to withstand 2.8 million passengers, the airport set a record for the fifth time in eight years, welcoming 58.8 million travelers in 2024, growing a sizable 10% from 2023. Not only are visitors flocking here, but also new residents. As the state's largest city, Charlotte's population last year grew 8% to about 945,000 from 2020. Or another way to look at it is that 157 new residents are moving to Charlotte daily, which overwhelmed the former airport lobby. The construction project is part of Destination CLT, the airport's $4-billion capital investment program, that's been a work in progress for the past 10 years. First, a new parking deck opened in 2015, then an elevated road four years later. Phased openings of the lobby began in 2022, and a concourse expansion followed in 2024, adding 10 gates.

Tacking on 175,000 square feet and remodeling the existing 191,000 square feet, the long-overdue terminal revitalization hopes to modernize the traffic experience for passengers with more elbow room and efficient lines in a welcoming atmosphere. Travelers will find an upgraded baggage claim with larger carousels and more space to grab bags, expanded security checkpoints with screening lanes increasing from 17 to 21, and a curb front with 16 lanes devoted to drop-off and pick-up to ease congestion. Architectural design elements enhance the new infrastructure and give cover from bad weather with underground walkways and two pedestrian skybridges opened underneath a 146,000 square foot glass canopy connecting parking to the lobby. 

While travelers may not care about the new terrazzo floors or 11 art installations, including the restored Queen Charlotte bronze statue — the city's namesake — resting on a 30-foot plinth under the high ceilings of the Queen's Court, they may enjoy the addition of a few places for grub, including Dunkin' and Queen's Kitchen for sit-down fare. The new eateries follow last year's opening of the Crown Diner and local icon Great Wagon Road Distilling. Charlotte-based Bojangles is still around with two airport locations for fans of Southern-style chicken tenders and biscuits.

And, good news for the travel-weary: With air travel taking flight after the pandemic slowdown and a $15-billion boost from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2022, other airports are also investing in shiny new improvements. Nashville International Airport is spending $1.6 billion to expand two concourses with the addition of more gates, moving walkways, and concessions, with construction slated to end by 2028. Kentucky's Louisville Muhammad Ali Airport is in the midst of a $610-million expansion, improving baggage claim and security areas and concourse upgrades by 2026.