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Charlotte Douglas plan pairs Concourse C growth with passenger tunnel

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is proposing a package of terminal, airfield and infrastructure work, including new Concourse C gates and a passenger tunnel. The project’s estimated cost has not been disclosed, and City Council is expected to review it before voting at a later meeting.

Charlotte Douglas plan pairs Concourse C growth with passenger tunnel
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is proposing a new round of construction that would add gates to Concourse C, connect the expanded concourse to the main terminal with a passenger tunnel and renovate the international arrivals area. The package, called CLT Beyond, was presented Wednesday as part of negotiations over the airport’s Airline Use and Lease Agreement with American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest and United. The agreement sets rules for airport-airline relations, including operations, property rights, maintenance responsibilities and financial obligations. Negotiations were extended earlier this year for up to one year. Airport officials are scheduled to present the proposal at the Charlotte City Council’s Monday meeting, beginning at 5 p.m. in Room 267 at the Government Center. The city plans to stream the meeting. Council members will review the package and vote at a later meeting. The airport has not provided an estimated cost for the work. Beyond the Concourse C and arrivals projects, the plan includes planning and design for a future atrium expansion and additional international gates, airfield renovations to prepare for the airport’s Fourth Parallel Runway, and infrastructure upgrades such as electrical-system work. The runway, a separate $1 billion project, is expected to open in fall 2027. The proposal comes as the airport continues other construction. A $241 million second phase of Concourse A added 10 gates in September 2024. Airport officials had previously discussed adding 10 to 12 gates to Concourse C over 10 to 12 years, along with possible future expansions to Concourses A and B; the status of those A and B plans is unclear. Concourse D renovations are expected to finish by the end of this year, while work on Concourse E is expected to be completed by March 2027. American Airlines has also announced plans for a more than 40,000-square-foot Admirals Club above the atrium. CLT Beyond would extend the airport’s ongoing growth, but key details—including its total price and the number of new Concourse C gates—were not provided in the proposal announcement.

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