Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
The Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is named for both the North Carolina city of Charlotte in which it is located and former Charlotte Mayor, Ben Albert Douglas Sr. Established in 1935 as a municipal airport, it is now a major international and domestic air hub. During that growth, the airport has ensured that its services and facilities have also grown to keep pace with the needs and requirements of its visitors.
Whether you plan to stop for only a minute or so to pick someone up, or want to leave your car at the airport for several days, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport has parking options to suit you. To avoid inconvenience, visitors are advised to allow themselves ample time for parking, especially on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and on other peak travel days including holiday periods. Make the most of the assistance of the attendants in the parking lots at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport who can help you during peak travel times.
If you are planning to park for minimal time, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport allows immediate curbside loading and unloading. It also provides a free cell phone lot, from where you can drive to the baggage claim area to pick up passengers after they have collected their luggage and contacted you by cell phone. For those needing to park for longer periods, the airport has hourly parking that is free for the first 30 minutes. Daily parking for people leaving cars at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport for 24 hours or more is also available. If you want to park at the airport for 48 hours or longer, take advantage of the long term parking, from where you can use a shuttle to travel to the terminal. Other parking services at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport include remote parking, curbside valet service, and business valet service. There is even an overflow parking area on Old Dowd Road that opens when all other parking lots are at capacity.
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Getting around Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is easy with the help of the ground transportation services that the airport has in place. If you are traveling to or from a hotel or motel, check to see if it is part of the courtesy vehicle network operated by the airport. Traveler Information Centers on the baggage claim level of Charlotte/Douglas International Airport offer contact points for hotels and motels that participate in the courtesy vehicle arrangement.
You can also pre-arrange a shuttle service at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport by getting in touch with one of the providers. These providers are listed on the visitor information boards in the baggage claim section. The boards also offer information about the transportation companies that offer pick-up services at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. If you want to use a limousine or contract van service, you will need to pre-arrange this with the service provider.
Taxi services and car rental services are also available at the lower baggage claim level at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. All ground transportation at the airport operates from this area, apart from the city bus service. This picks up passengers from the front of Zone D in the baggage claim area.
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Passengers’ needs are paramount to the staff at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. If, for example, you are in need of First Aid, you will find help near Security Checkpoint A in the main terminal. Simply use the phone outside the door to receive assistance.
Wondering if your flight’s on time? Throughout the terminal you’ll find flight information monitors offering up-to-date information. For general information about Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, visit the airport’s information counter from where paging services also operate. Located in the ticketing lobby, the information counter is open from 7am until 9pm every day. Another helpful place to visit is the Welcome Center, situated in the baggage claim area. This center can provide you with airport information as well as regional tourist information. For those who want some quiet time, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport has a 24-hour chapel, also known as a meditation room, located outside Security Checkpoint B. This is part of the ecumenical chaplaincy set up by the Mecklenburg Ministries, a group of people from the Charlotte/Mecklenburg area. They provide volunteers to staff the chaplaincy, which is funded by voluntary contributions.
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Even experienced travelers can have difficulties finding their way through the maze of an international airport. Locating various sections of the airport and finding out how to get through formalities and locate services is not always easy, especially if you are tired or under pressure to move quickly because of a connecting flight. For travelers using Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, however, plenty of help is at hand, thanks to the presence of a team of volunteers who are committed to helping airport users.
Known as the CLT Pit Crew, these friendly people are easily recognized by their black and teal pit crew style shirts, a tribute to the popularity of auto racing in Charlotte. The message on the back of the shirts that reads “Flag
Me Down For Airport Information” is another clue to their identity! Selected for their ability to help others and their excellent communication skills, these volunteers can help you with anything from dealing with airport procedure to finding a tasty snack or a shopping outlet at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.
With the help of the volunteers at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, you can navigate your way through arrival and departure formalities, find your baggage, and get to your connecting flights in good time. They can provide you with information about ground transportation, point you to the right gate, or advise about somewhere to eat while you are filling in time. The friendly, southern hospitality they offer will ensure that your visit to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is a trouble-free and pleasant experience.
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Getting to the airport on time is a worry for some people if they are setting out to drive along roads that are not familiar to them. By studying the route beforehand, you can eliminate a lot of this worry and make sure you get to your check-in point with plenty of time to spare. There are various ways of approaching the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, with helpful signage along the way to make your trip as trouble free as possible.
If you are coming from the 1-85, take Exit 33 to Billy Graham Parkway, then continue for about one and a half miles before taking the airport sign exit on Josh Birmingham Parkway. From uptown Charlotte, use 1-277 to 1-77 south and take Exit 6B to Billy Graham Parkway. After about five miles, take the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport exit.
Drivers from 1-485 should take the Wilkinson Blvd/Highway 74 exit. After traveling for about a mile and a half on Highway 74 East, turn right at Wilkinson Blvd/Little Rock Road intersection. Look for the satellite parking lots of Charlotte/Douglas International Airport and then turn left at Old Down Road. Follow the signs to the airport terminal.
When approaching the airport, keep an eye out for signs indicating availability of airport parking. If the parking lots at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport are at capacity, the overflow parking area on Old Down Road will be opened. Signs at the Old Down Road and Josh Birmingham Parkway intersection, and at the long term parking lots, will direct drivers to the overflow area when necessary.
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In addition to its many services and facilities, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport runs an art program that adds to visitor enjoyment. The program, known appropriately as Just Plane Art, features more than 20 rotating and permanent exhibits. As well as promoting the region, the program entertains travelers using the airport, adding variety and interest to their waiting time.
Among the items that make up the permanent art collection at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is a bronze sculpture of Queen Charlotte. Standing 15 feet tall, the sculpture is in the Queen’s Courtyard at the front of the terminal. Also on display within the airport is a half scale replica of the Wright Brothers’ plane, the Wright Flyer, which became the first heavier-than-air machine to achieve sustained flight in 1903. The replica is located on Concourse E at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.
Another part of the art program that has proved extremely popular with visitors is the row of rocking chairs where you can sit back, relax, rock gently, and escape the busy world for a while. First provided as part of a promotion for a photographic exhibition at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, the rockers now have a permanent place among the facilities on offer. You can even buy one, have it sent home, and know that a percentage of the price will be used to help support the arts in North Carolina.
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With five busy concourses, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport offers plenty to keep its visitors busy while waiting to meet passengers or to board flights. There is a great diversity of eateries, ensuring that you can enjoy a meal or a snack in whatever type of atmosphere you want, from a quick snack on the run to a fine dining experience. There is also a variety of shops where you can browse or buy items you need, gifts for people at home, or something special for yourself.
In a hurry? On each of the five concourses at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, you’ll find people who understand your needs. You can have a snack prepared in record time, or if time is not a factor, you can sit back with a quiet drink while a tasty meal is prepared for your enjoyment. Chicken, pizza, seafood, grills, and a host of other options are available.
The shopping at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is as varied and tempting as the food on offer. Souvenirs, gifts, books, and skin care products are among the items available. Stock up on travel needs, browse among fashions, or even get a shoeshine. These and many other options are available for visitors to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.
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For some people, business rarely stops. If you want to keep in touch with your office, conduct business, or organize meetings during your time at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, you’ll find all the facilities you need. The airport’s business center, located centrally in the atrium, is the ideal place to look after any business needs while waiting for your flight.
For those who want to hold meetings, the Airport Business Center at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport offers conference rooms that are available for public use. These rooms provide an easy and efficient way to get together with clients or colleagues to discuss business matters. At the Airport Business Center, you can also use other services such as free wireless and other communication equipment. Secretarial facilities, photocopying, and fax are also on hand.
If you are looking after business matters, you will probably need Internet access. High speed Internet access is available in the business center at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, enabling you to send and receive emails or to carry out any Internet research you need to do. You can even mail a letter or a package from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, using the postal facilities located at the beginning of Concourse D.
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For people with special needs, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport provides a wide range of assistance and facilities to help their traveling safety and comfort. There are easily accessible parking spaces in the hourly and daily parking areas for people with disabilities, as well as ramps and accessible shuttle transportation. The passenger terminal telephones are located in low positions, easy to access from wheelchairs, and most are equipped with volume control. All airlines serving Charlotte/Douglas International Airport offer wheelchair assistance that can be reserved in advance.
Passengers can also ask airlines to provide them with an assistance cart to access areas of the terminal. Each concourse has lifts from the terminal. If you have a service dog, it will usually be allowed to travel on the plane with you, but verify this first with your airline. Charlotte/Douglas International Airport has a special area where service dogs can be “parked” while waiting, in the grassy areas near the parking decks, outside the baggage claim area.
Need Transportation? Call 617-848-2689