Charlotte airport moves closer to recovery with nearly 60% increase in passengers
Charlotte Douglas International Airport saw 43 million travelers last year, up 59% from the 27 million passengers who traveled through the airport in 2020 during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.
And last year’s number is 86% of the record-breaking 50.2 million passengers who traveled to, from and through CLT in 2019, according to the airport.
“Our 2021 passenger numbers are pretty impressive considering the twists and turns we’ve experienced over the past two years,” CLT CEO Haley Gentry said in a statement. “While COVID-19 impacts continue, CLT has bounced back quicker than many other airports nationwide thanks to the strength of the American Airlines hub, strong partnerships we have with all our airlines and tenants and the unwavering support of our passengers.”
The airport offers nonstop flights to 188 destinations, including 36 international spots and three U.S. territories.
CLT is now predicting passenger travel will make a full recovery by 2023, a year earlier than previously predicted.
Part of the recovery comes from the return of business travel, according to the airport.
Last year, business travel made up 24% of passenger traffic. In 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, business travel made up 34% of passenger traffic.
And the airport has a busy year ahead with the completion of several construction milestones, according to CLT.
Over the year, the airport plans to open an expansion on Concourse E, the west end of the expanded terminal lobby, a new lounge called The Club CLT on Concourse A, and new concessions throughout the terminal.
And the airport also plans to begin construction on a 10-gate expansion of Concourse A in 2022.
The construction projects are part of the airport’s $2.5 billion to $3.1 billion capital investment program, called Destination CLT.
Part of the new and improved terminal lobby will open to travelers in the spring, airport leaders told the Observer last year. The lobby expansion project is a $608 million project that will add 175,000 square feet to the lobby.
The full project is expected to wrap up in 2025.
This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Charlotte airport moves closer to recovery with nearly 60% increase in passengers."
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