Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) has come a long way. Located in Charlotte, NC. It is one of American Airlines biggest hub in their network. As someone who calls this airport home, I’ve seen both the improvements and the frustrations. There’s a lot to like about CLT, but there are also some things that can make traveling through Charlotte a headache.
What I Love About CLT
The recent remodeling: One of the biggest positives is how much more modern CLT feels after its recent renovations. The new terminal lobby is brighter, cleaner and much more spacious than the old one, making a noticeably better first impression when arriving at the airport.
Easy-to-understand signage: CLT is relatively easy to navigate. The concourses are clearly labeled A through E, and the signs generally make it obvious where you need to go. Even though the airport is large, I rarely feel completely lost trying to find my gate.
Everything is connected: I like that all five concourses are connected inside the same terminal. You don’t have to take a shuttle or train between terminals, and you can walk from one concourse to another without going through security again.
Lots of nonstop flights: Being an American Airlines hub has a major advantage: Charlotte has an enormous number of nonstop destinations. For people who live in the Charlotte area, having so many flights available without connecting somewhere else is incredibly convenient.
What I Hate About CLT
The concourses can feel cramped: While the remodeled lobby looks great, some of the concourses can still feel crowded and cramped, especially when several flights are boarding at the same time. With CLT handling tens of millions of passengers every year, it can sometimes feel like the airport is trying to squeeze too many people into the available space.
A LOT of walking: This is probably my biggest complaint. If you have a connection between distant concourses, be prepared to walk. There are no trains or people movers inside the terminal, so getting from one end of CLT to another can take a surprisingly long time. Luckily I start here. Connecting is not a concern for me as much as others who must. I can feel people’s frustrations when they have to go from Concourse E to B for connections.
American Airlines dominates: American Airlines’ huge presence is both a positive and a negative. It gives Charlotte an incredible number of nonstop flights, but it also means there isn’t a lot of airline competition. When you’re looking for a cheap ticket, you may find that CLT fares can be expensive because American has such a dominant position at the airport.
Customer service can be hit or miss: This is based on my personal experience, but I’ve encountered some CLT employees who were friendly and helpful and others who came across as rude. Of course, that doesn’t represent every employee, but an unpleasant interaction can make an already stressful travel day even more frustrating.
The Bottom Line
CLT is an airport with some major strengths and some obvious weaknesses. I really like the recent remodeling, straightforward signage, connected concourses and huge number of nonstop flights. At the same time, crowded concourses, long walks, expensive fares and occasional customer-service issues can take away from the experience.
CLT is definitely getting better, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.