Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is turning sky high profits for the city of Charlotte and beyond. The airport contributed $40 billion to North and South Carolina's economies in 2023, according to a new study published by the Institute for Transportation Research and Education at North Carolina State University.

“CLT remains a critical economic force for the Carolinas, with the American Airlines hub playing a pivotal role generating jobs, boosting incomes and contributing to vital tax revenues,” said CLT CEO Haley Gentry.

CLT's trajectory in terms of scale and volume only continues to soar with the airport serving 58.8 million passengers in 2024, shattering the record of 53.4 million set in 2023.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is ranked the world's seventh busiest airport. | Photo by CLTtoday

A recent report released by the North Carolina Department of Transportation noted CLT’s economic output across North Carolina stood at $36.6 billion, generating some impressive numbers including:

$2.1 billion in tax revenue
$15.2 billion in personal income
167,000 jobs
5% of North Carolina’s gross domestic product

Skies continue to look bright for Charlotte Douglas International Airport with an ongoing $608 million terminal expansion project called "Destination CLT." Travelers can expect to pass through a new lobby on their way to catch a flight by this fall.

The terminal lobby expansion will increase the lobby space by 175,000 sqft. | Rendering via Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Since the project launched in 2019, CLT celebrated Concourse A opening in September, with renovations underway on Concourse D — the airport's hub for international flights. Keep your eyes peeled for a scheduled completion date coming in fall 2026, plus Concourse E renovations set to be finished by spring 2027.

And before we land this story... the airport is also currently planning a Fourth Parallel Runway project, installing a 10,000-ft-long by 150-ft-wide runway to better accommodate higher plane volume surely expected in the years to come.