Work on new $1 billion runway at CLT airport will help with flight demands and growth
Politicians and airline leaders joined Charlotte Douglas International Airport officials Friday for groundbreaking ceremonies on the fourth parallel runway, the last phase of a 10-year, $3.1 billion capital project at the airport.
The $1 billion runway, the final part of the project called Destination CLT, will be 10,000 feet long and 150 feet wide to accommodate the airport’s increasing traffic.
After it’s completion in 2027, the additional runway will allow for a 20% to 25% increased capacity for arrivals and departures, said Jack Christine, the airport’s chief infrastructure officer.
Charlotte Douglas recently was named seventh busiest airport in the world for arrivals and departures, and is on track to return to pre-pandemic traffic numbers this year, Mayor Vi Lyles said.
“We’re going to see Charlotte emerge as one of the premier hubs on the eastern seaboard, and this is a piece of that puzzle,” said U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC.
The new runway will require changes around the tarmac to accommodate the increased capacity, the mayor said. That includes new taxiways on the north and south ends, relocating de-icing pads, relocating of West Boulevard between Piney Top Road and Bryum Drive, and a new Aircraft Rescue and firefighting station.
The project was supposed to launch in 2020, but due to the pandemic and delays for environmental requirements needed for runway projects, groundbreaking was pushed back until this year, Christine said. Construction is already underway.
American Airlines in Charlotte
Charlotte Douglas also is a major hub for American Airlines. Chief Operating Officer David Seymour spoke at the event, expressing a vested interest in the airport, as American Airlines is responsible for 90% of CLT traffic. He said the company invested significantly in the multi-billion dollar Destination CLT project.
Seymour said American Airlines will hire more people, invest in new technology and grow its network out of the Charlotte hub. The airline also just increased its summer schedule out of Charlotte.
“We continue to bet on Charlotte, and as the team tells me that’s really not much of a gamble,” he said.
American Airlines is currently dealing with a pilot shortage, but expects a comeback, Seymour said. “We’ve got to build for the future, and so our plan is to continue to grow this operation,” he said.
As the first part of the Charlotte airport’s Master Plan, Destination CLT began in 2019. The master plan will develop the airport through 2035 to ensure it can keep up with projected growth.
More improvements at the Charlotte airport
Other Destination CLT projects include:
- Lobby expansion which is open for use but still under construction until 2025.
- The expansion for Concourse A, which will open in 2024.
- The eight-lane roadway which is operational.
- A roadway canopy, which will be done next year.
- And the Concourse E expansion, which opened in 2021.
This story was originally published June 9, 2023 at 1:23 PM.
