Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) Flights & Flight Status

Charlotte Douglas Airport is the busiest in North Carolina and the 7th busiest in the world based on aircraft movements. Expect crowded terminals and sometimes long waits to reach the gate after landing, but with these expert tips, you can navigate this mega airport with greater ease.

Terminal information and tips

CLT is a busy airport, and its layout includes terminals labeled A to E. Prepare for long walks, and when possible, use the moving sidewalks. If you have mobility issues, this is one of the airports where requesting wheelchair assistance will be well worth it.

How to get to and from CLT and Charlotte

Charlotte is only about 20 minutes’ drive from the airport, and it’s an easy drive from the heart of town. Unfortunately, there are not many public transportation options save for a bus from Uptown. It’s a direct link, but I don’t take it often as it makes many stops and the experience is not very pleasant. It’s too bad that the city’s light rail network does not go to the airport although there are constant rumors they will extend it one day.

There are ridesharing, taxi and private car services to head to CLT. This is my preferred option so there is no need to deal with parking. An Uber or Lyft is your best bet. I have never paid more than about $30 from the center of town to the airport.

If you choose to drive, ample parking is available, but prepare for a huge traffic headache approaching the terminal. This airport was not built to be the major hub it has become, and construction at the main terminal is working to improve the arrival experience.

The roadways to the terminal are untenable for the traffic, especially with ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft. When you arrive, prepare for just as many crowds with cars, buses and shuttle vans vying for space to pick up people. The airport authority says it is working to build an airport “fit for a queen” (Charlotte is known as the Queen City), but she’s going to be a great grandma before it’s ever complete.

Navigating security lines at CLT

More than 50 million people pass through the airport each year, but the vast majority of them are connecting between flights and not using security lines. CLT is one of the largest hubs for American Airlines. Still, security lines here are woefully inadequate for departing passengers.

Depending on the time of day, waits can stretch to an hour (I know better than to take a 6 a.m. flight). TSA Pre-Check lines can alleviate the hassle, but there are not as many as there should be. Unlike some other airports, the security lines all funnel into the main airport terminals. This means that savvy travelers know to walk the short distance to another line to find one that is shorter. Often, lines at A and E terminals are shorter than those at B and C, which are in the center of the departure area.

Arriving from overseas? Good luck! The immigration and customs facility is too small for an airport carrying this many passengers. There are Global Entry and Mobile Passport lines, but there can still be a wait when multiple flights arrive at once. Still, these are going to be shorter than the epic lines that result when Boeing 777s unload 200+ people one after the other. I always recommend travel companions to have one of these two expedited immigration options because it really comes in handy at CLT.

So compact is the space that from mid-afternoon to early evening (when European and many Caribbean flights arrive), some planes are not permitted to deplane into the terminal until more space frees up. Allow plenty of time for a connection because you need to clear immigration and then customs after collecting your checked luggage. With only four baggage carousels, luggage can take awhile to appear.

Once landside, connecting passengers will need to go back through security. You’ll exit near the C/D checkpoint, but if lines are long, ask if there is a quicker option near the A, B or E checkpoints. At times, it can be the difference between making a short connection or waiting for the next flight. I have been burned a few times until I learned this hack. Inside the airport, anyone transferring from the far end of E to the tip-top of A will get their steps in because there are not enough moving walkways.

Those with mobility issues may want to request service from their airline to navigate the terminal. It’s interesting to note that CLT does not offer electric cart transfers within the terminal since the space is too compact.

Airline lounges and alternatives at CLT Airport.

There are six lounge options in Charlotte Douglas Airport, but that’s not enough for the volume of passengers. Get ready for long lines, and if you get in, to hunt for a seat.

American has two Admirals Clubs for its second largest hub. The one between C and D is a decent size, but the B club is like a broom closet. Their one saving grace, in my opinion, is that they both have awesome airplane and airport views.

The Admirals Club is a network of membership-for-purchase lounges, but there are a lot of ways to get in here (that is, if you can find a seat). Travelers with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard receive annual lounge membership. If you are traveling internationally in business class on American or a Oneworld airline, you can also enter the lounge. Top elites of other Oneworld airlines can also access the lounge, even when traveling domestically.

The American Express Centurion Lounge is perhaps the most popular lounge in the airport. Lines are all-too-common, and the single elevator to get to the upstairs lounge is laughably slow. Pro tip: Look near the elevator for a small sign pointing to a stairway. Few people use it, but it’s a faster way to get to the Centurion Lounge.

If you are starting your journey in Charlotte, you can only enter the Centurion Lounge three hours before departure. But, if you’re connecting between flights, there are no restrictions. Once inside the lounge, a hot buffet with plenty of salads and desserts is a tasty treat, and the open bar always has a long line. The airport apron views from this high vantage point are a hit with airplane nerds like me.

There are two Minute Suites facilities in the airport, which have private napping rooms with work space and a TV. It’s one of the few places you can go in the airport to escape the crowds. If you have Priority Pass, either by membership or through a credit card, you are eligible for one free hour of use. Sadly, they are often fully booked, but it’s worth checking both facilities (one is in D and one is between B and C).

The only other lounge option is The Club at CLT in the newly added concourses of the A terminal, and it’s open for paid or Priority Pass access. Since this is the lounge Lufthansa uses for its evening departure (the only non-American Airlines long-haul flight from CLT), it can quickly fill up around that time. I have been turned away many times when trying to use Priority Pass to enter.

If you don’t have access to these lounges, head to the mezzanine space between B and C. Take the stairs up from the food court where you can find a less-trafficked spot to sit. The rocking chairs in the newly built A terminal where there is far less foot traffic.

A hidden gem at CLT for aviation enthusiasts

Charlotte was one of the first airports to introduce rocking chairs, and most of them face the airport activity. There’s a lot of plane spotting here.

The North Carolina Aviation Museum is adjacent to the airport. It’s a fun way to pass the time if you have a long enough connection to leave the airport. Among the exhibits is the recovered, reconstructed fuselage of US Airways 1549, the plane that successfully ditched in the Hudson River in 2009.

Parking at CLT Airport

There are several options including valet service, parking decks connected to the airport and offsite lots where you need to take a bus to get there. Many area airport hotels also offer parking for a fee when traveling. You can take their shuttle to the terminal for free. If you do park a car here, trust me, you’ll want to snap a photo because a lot of the lots look identical. It’s not a treasure hunt I ever want to repeat.