Charlotte Douglas International becomes third busiest U.S. airport for connecting flights

Charlotte Douglas International has made significant strides globally. It recently became the world's sixth-busiest airport by takeoffs and landings. According to The Charlotte Observer, it had over 596,000 aircraft movements last year with a passenger traffic record of 58.8 million.

In terms of international passenger traffic, CLT reached 2.4 million passengers last year and now ranks behind airports like Atlanta (ATL), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN), and Las Vegas (LAS).

To support its growth trajectory, CLT has launched infrastructure improvement projects under its $4 billion "Destination CLT" initiative. Recent developments include a relocated rideshare pickup area and increased security capacity through new screening lanes as part of a $600 million Terminal Lobby Expansion project initiated in 2019.

Future plans involve expanding baggage handling capabilities with two additional carousels and upgrades to Concourses D and E facilities. A fourth parallel runway is also underway with completion expected by fall 2027.