Air service in and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is exceptional. CLT is ranked among the busiest airports in the world, ranking sixth worldwide based on number of passenger totals and fifth based on arrivals and departures.
More than 43.3 million passengers traveled through CLT in 2021, increasing by nearly 60% from 2020. The Charlotte airport also saw 519,895 arrivals and departures last year.
CLT is a major driver of the Charlotte Region’s economy, generating $24.6 billion in economic impact for the area’s economy. Destination CLT, a $2.5 billion renovation and construction campaign, will bring the airport expanded concourses, terminals and a fourth parallel runway over the next 10 years.
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“The rankings reflect the important role CLT played in the aviation industry last year as one of the busiest airports in the world,” CLT CEO Haley Gentry said in a statement shared by the Charlotte Observer. “Many people were eager to travel by air again in 2021, and we’re happy to partner with the airlines to serve these passengers coming through Charlotte.”
Meanwhile, much of the growth at CLT is spurred by American Airlines, which is marking its 40th anniversary at the airport.
American’s CLT hub has become the second largest across its global network and an economic engine for the Carolinas. Its strength, size and impact are felt across the Carolinas, producing a total annual impact of $23 billion while supporting nearly a quarter-million jobs. At CLT, American accounts for approximately 90% of total traffic.
“From Piedmont Airlines to USAir, to US Airways and to American Airlines today, the collective commitment to the CLT hub has been unwavering,” Gentry said. “Over the past 40 years, our partnership has endured mergers, bankruptcies, expansions, renovations, recessions and a global pandemic — and, with each, we’ve come out stronger.”
In celebration of the milestone anniversary, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, U.S. Reps. Alma Adams and Dan Bishop, City of Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt and other officials joined American leaders and team members to reflect on the hub’s rich 40-year history and its continued economic impact on the region. Festivities included a team member parade of heritage Piedmont, US Airways and American uniforms and a proclamation from the City of Charlotte recognizing American’s 40th anniversary at CLT.
Today, the CLT hub plays a critical role in American’s global network, connecting more than 40 million customers annually on more than 650 daily flights to nearly 170 destinations across the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.
“As Charlotte’s hometown airline, American is thankful for the strong partnerships and steadfast support that have enabled four decades of continuous growth at our CLT hub,” Ralph Lopez Massas, vice president of CLT hub operations for American Airlines, said. “We recognize our role as an economic catalyst for the region and are committed to build on our legacy of service to support the long-term vitality of the region.”
Even through the pandemic, the CLT hub’s 13,000 team members helped keep the regional economy moving — maintaining the highest load factor percentage of any airline hub in the United States while becoming the first American hub to return to growth.
As demand for air travel continues to grow, American and the City of Charlotte are working together to sustain the success of the last 40 years, positioning the airport for the future.
Construction is underway on a number of projects from expanded ticket counters, baggage claim areas and security checkpoints to added gates and taxiways that enhance overall capacity and improve operational efficiencies. Additionally, American continues to recruit and hire thousands of new pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and frontline team members to meet current and future operational needs.
Collectively, these strategic investments in people, product and infrastructure represent American’s steadfast commitment to the Charlotte region and the continued growth of its CLT hub.
