Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Charlotte Douglas is one of American Airlines’ largest connecting hubs, and if you fly American in the eastern US there is a good chance you will change planes here at some point. The good news for connections is that it is essentially one terminal with five concourses — A, B, C, D, and E — all joined behind security, so most transfers are a walk rather than a shuttle.

The layout

Everything funnels through a central atrium where the concourses meet, and that atrium is a genuine landmark in its own right, lined with white rocking chairs under the windows — an oddly civilised place to wait out a layover. Concourse E handles many of the regional flights and international arrivals; the others spread the mainline traffic. Because it is one connected building, a concourse-to-concourse transfer is straightforward, though a walk from A to E is a real distance, so mind the clock on a tight connection.

Getting into Uptown

The airport is about 13 km (8 miles) west of Uptown Charlotte, a short drive off-peak. Public transit into the city is currently limited — a city bus service runs between the airport and Uptown, but there is no rail link yet — so most travelers use a taxi or rideshare, which is quick given the distance.

Worth knowing

CLT’s role as a hub means it gets busy with connecting passengers in concentrated waves, and thunderstorms in the warmer months can back things up across American’s network. Security lines swell around the big connecting banks, so if you are starting your trip here rather than connecting, arrive with margin. Once airside, the single-terminal design makes it one of the more relaxed large hubs to spend time in.