Newly released data reinforces how essential aviation is to the Charlotte Region’s economy.
In its biennial report published in January, the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation highlighted how North Carolina’s airports are contributing to the state’s success.
The 72 airports in the Tar Heel State transported 74.3 million passengers in 2023 and contributed a more than $88 billion economic impact, the analysis shows. That number makes up 11% of the state’s Gross Domestic Product.
More than 440,000 tons of cargo moved through North Carolina’s airports.
For every dollar the state has invested, airports return more than $500 in economic output and $12 in state tax revenues.
According to the report, in 2023, airports in North Carolina supported 427,000 jobs across the state.
Charlotte Region
Of the more than $88 billion that North Carolina saw in airport economic impacts, Charlotte Douglas International Airport put out nearly $37 billion of the 2023 total.
CLT is also American Airlines’ second-largest hub in the country. During the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s Economic Outlook in December, American Airlines and American Airlines Group CEO Robert Isom said the hub is part of why the region is great for business.
“You take a look at cities throughout the country and if you don’t have a large hub airport … you don’t have the engine that’s going to attract a lot of business,” Isom said. “Today, having a hub airport is like being a port city of old, or a railway line, or one of the interstate highways. But now, if you don’t have [a hub], your growth is going to be limited.”
More than 53 million passengers flew through CLT in 2023, surpassing a pre-pandemic record.
“CLT’s significance as a major economic engine for the Charlotte region and North Carolina is undeniable,” airport CEO Haley Gentry said in a statement to the Charlotte Business Journal.
She added, “The strength of our American Airlines hub plays a crucial role in driving economic growth, not only within North Carolina but also across the broader region. We are eager to complete a comprehensive study that will highlight the far-reaching impacts, including those from South Carolina, further reinforcing CLT’s vital contribution to the aviation system and regional prosperity.”
Small airports are also making significant contributions. The Concord-Padgett Regional Airport in Cabarrus County has a more than $1 billion economic impact, and general aviation airports in the Charlotte Region created a nearly $697 million economic impact.
The future
The talent pipeline to the aviation industry is strong.
The Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research Institute, a partnership between Charlotte Douglas and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, explores solutions to industry challenges.
More than 1,800 students were enrolled in other institutions across the state in 2023, including three schools in the Charlotte Region.
