After nearly two decades of planning and six years of construction, Charlotte Douglas International Airport has officially opened its new Terminal Lobby Expansion (TLE) — the largest construction project in CLT history.
“It takes hundreds of companies and thousands of people involved in planning, design, construction and management of an effort this monumental,” Charlotte Douglas CEO Haley Gentry said in a press release. “And that doesn’t even include the millions of passengers who experienced this arduous process with us. Thank you, Charlotte.”
The $608 million expansion adds 175,000 square feet of new space and modernizes another 191,000 square feet, easing crowding in one of the world’s busiest airports.
The project is part of Destination CLT, the airport’s $4 billion capital program to meet growing demand.
Key Upgrades
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16-lane curbfront with a 146,000 sq. ft. glass canopy
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21-lane TSA checkpoint (with 11 automated lanes) to speed up screening
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Eight baggage carousels and new escalators/elevators
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Expanded ticketing counters and pre-security concessions
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Queen Charlotte Court, anchored by a 15-foot, 3,000-pound statue
Charlotte Douglas served 9 million local passengers in 2024, up from 2.7 million when the terminal opened in 1982. Last year, the airport welcomed 58.8 million total passengers, ranking sixth globally.
The new space relieves long-standing congestion and prepares the airport for continued regional growth.
Going forward, construction will continue on Concourses D and E, with completion expected by 2027. A Fourth Parallel Runway and Concourse A Phase III are also in development.
