Charlotte Douglas Airport Departures (CLT)

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is found in the state of North Carolina, and is a large U.S. airport serving the Charlotte metropolitan area. It is recognised by its IATA code of CLT, and is named after a former Charlotte Mayor, Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr. Passengers on Charlotte Douglas International Airport departures have a wide range of facilities at their disposal, and are able to reach the airport by public or private transport. Many departure flights are offered by US Airways, as the airport is a major hub for this airline company. Local and international destinations are served from Charlotte Douglas Airport.

This airport of the city of Charlotte is the busiest in North Carolina, and is also regarded as the eleventh busiest of all airports in the United States, as it handles around 39 million passengers per annum. It handles a large number of aircraft movements as well, and is placed as sixth busiest in the world in this regard. In 2010, the airport was considered as the 24th busiest in the world for passenger traffic. The main airline company of Charlotte Douglas Airport is US Airways. Flights are offered by this company to a large number of local cities, including Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Nashville, Indianapolis, Fort Lauderdale, Dallas/Fort Worth, Kansas City and Denver. US Airways offers many international flights as well, to destinations such as Paris, Mexico City, London, Frankfurt and Liberia. Seasonal flights are offered to Rome, Bermuda, Dublin and Madrid. The airport used to be a hub for Piedmont Airlines as well, some time back in 1979. This airline company inaugurated the non-stop service to London.

Further domestic airline companies at Charlotte Douglas International Airport include Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines. The most popular domestic routes flown are to Atlanta, New York, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Boston and Orlando. For international departures, passengers can choose the airline companies of Air Canada, Insel Air, Lufthansa or US Airways. The busiest international routes from Charlotte Douglas Airport are to Cancun in Mexico, Montego Bay in Jamaica, Toronto in Canada, Frankfurt and Munich in Germany, Nassau in the Bahamas, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and London in the United Kingdom. In general, CLT handles over 700 daily departures and arrivals to and from more than 130 non-stop destinations around the globe. It is also considered as the busiest airport along the east coast of the United States.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is found to the west of Charlotte’s city centre and between the Interstate 485 and Billy Graham Parkway. The Interstate 85 also runs to north of the airport’s perimeter. Access to the airport is quick and fairly easy via Wilkinson Boulevard from downtown Charlotte, or on the I-77 or I-485 from the north or south. The I-85 also provides access from the west. Passengers driving to the airport will find plenty of parking options available, including four long-term car parks that offer exceptionally reasonable parking rates. There are also hourly and daily car parks available, and valet parking services in two areas. The drive to the airport from downtown should take no longer than twenty to thirty minutes, but always leave in good time for a departure flight, as shuttles will be needed for transport to the terminal from most parking areas.

Public transport is an option for reaching a departure flight as well. The CATS Sprinter bus runs every twenty minutes, seven days a week, from a number of stops in the city. A large number of privately operated shuttles are available as well, and taxis are a good option for a quick trip to the airport. From downtown, a taxi to the airport will cost around $25.00. Although there is a light rail service in the city of Charlotte, there are no direct train connections to the airport.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport consists of a main terminal building and five concourses, referred to as Concourses A, B, C, D and E. Concourse A is the only concourse that is not used by US Airways, but for domestic flights by other airline companies. It has twelve gates. Concourses B and C are also used for domestic operations, and have over thirty gates between them. Concourse D is currently used as the building for international flights to or from the airport, and Concourse E is mainly used by US Airways for their domestic flights. There are US Airways Clubs in Concourse B and in the C/D connector area. Further facilities at Charlotte Douglas Airport include banking and currency exchange services, free Wi-Fi internet services, lost and found offices, more than ninety shops and restaurants and the USO of NC, which offers services for military personnel, military retirees and their family members. Airport volunteers are also available to help with passenger enquiries. Charlotte Douglas Airport is accessible to disabled passengers, with elevators, pavement ramps and suitable restroom facilities. The airline company concerned should also be informed if a disabled person is travelling, and if any special assistance will be required.

The following points are helpful tips for passengers departing from Charlotte Douglas International Airport: Always arrive early, especially if travelling with babies/young children, or with an elderly or disabled person. Do not bring along any items that are usually used for personal protection, such as mace or pepper spray. Report any unattended bags or packages that you see in the terminal and always keep a careful eye on your own luggage. No jokes are tolerated regarding bombs, firearms or any other threats, therefore, behave appropriately. Keep your boarding pass and photo identification within easy reach, and ensure that your carry-on items meet airport and airline regulations, for example, liquid items placed separately in a clear, plastic zip-top bag, and in quantities of no more than three ounces each. Do not wrap gifts either, as they will be opened by the security officials.

Further details regarding Charlotte Douglas International Airport departures are available from the airport, at contact number 704-359-4013. Live departure schedules can also be viewed on several online websites.