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Published JULY 11, 2002
Stuck at the Airport: Charlotte
Rock away your jet lag at CLT
By Harriet Baskas
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One of Charlotte's early airfields doubled as the polo grounds. Another, near the site of the present day airport, featured weekend air shows filled with daredevil aerial feats by former war pilots, barnstormers, and stunt pilots. Today, the tamer but much busier Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (airport code: CLT)—named in honor of Mayor Ben. E. Douglas Sr.—serves as the largest hub for US Airways and shuttles more than 23 million passengers a year.
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Get oriented
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Baggage note |
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Luggage carts, which rent for $1.50, are located on all concourses and on the baggage level. You'll get a 25-cent "reward" when you return a cart to the rack. |
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Charlotte/Douglas International Airport has one terminal with five concourses: A, B, C, D, and E. Concourse E, the airport's newest concourse, has 26 gates serving regional jet traffic. As of summer 2002, Concourse D was undergoing renovation.
Concourse A serves Delta, United, American, ATA, Northwest, Continental, and Air Canada. Concourses B and C serve US Airways. Concourse D serves all international flights (US Airways and British Airways), and Concourse E serves all regional flights through US Airways Express.
It's approximately a 15-minute walk from the end of one concourse to another and all concourse entrances are centrally located around the Airport Atrium, which has restaurants, lounges, and shops.
Take care of yourself
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Food note |
Best bet for a carry-on meal:
Packed-for-travel lunches, complete with drink and chips, from Chilis To Go, between the Atrium and Concourse A.
Best sinful snack: Hot chocolate-chip cookies from Mrs. Field's, or candy from Candy Express, both in the Atrium.
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Eat: In the Main Atrium, you'll get table service at Chili's Bar and Bites and at the Cheers Bar and Restaurant. For something a bit more "racy," pull into the Stock Car restaurant on Concourse B, where you'll find NASCAR racing decor and a souvenir stand offering hats, T-shirts, and all sorts of NASCAR collectibles. Down on Concourse C, A Taste of Carolina serves locally brewed beer.
Relax and refresh: The white rocking chairs in the airport atrium and on Concourse E were originally part of a temporary "Porch Sitting" art exhibition. Travelers so loved the chance to rock away tension that the rockers are now a permanent airport feature. In fact, if you'd like one of these rocking chairs to take home, airport officials will put you in touch with the North Carolina shop that makes them.
"Official" entertainment is featured around the piano in the center of the atrium each Thursday and Friday evening from 3 PM until 7 or 8 PM, but if you're in the mood to tickle the ivories any other time, go right ahead! Until recently, two baggage handlers used to spend their lunch hours playing jazz duets on this piano. Gifford Cordorva and Vernon Smith became so popular that they recorded a CD (on sale in the airport gift shops) and, under the name Ten2Ten, joined Lou Rawls on tour.
If music isn't your bag and you'd rather be outside, head to the baggage claim area and outside to the Queen's Courtyard, located between two of the airport's parking structures. Here you'll find a series of historical markers, benches, grassy areas, a fountain, and the 15-foot tall bronze Queen Charlotte sculpture by Raymond Kaskey.
The Quiet Zone, located under the staircase in the Atrium and behind the First in
Flight lounge, is a great place to take a nap, read a book, or get some work done. For true peace and quiet, head for the Chapel (Meditation Room) just outside the B-Security Checkpoint.
Charlotte International Airport has no on-site health clubs or hotels. However, there's a Barber Shop operating on the Baggage Claim level; a nail technician stationed at the dry cleaners (The Valet) on the D Concourse connector; and massage therapists on duty some weekday afternoons at The Body Shop in the Atrium, near the C Concourse.
For more serious freshening up, ask for a day rate at one of the nearby hotels. The
Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, for example, offers a day rate that entitles you to use the pool, hot tub, and exercise facilities. Tel. +1 (704) 392-1200.
Smokers either need to head outdoors to light up or patronize one of the restaurants or bars that feature a smoking section.
Take care of business
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Business note |
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Phone banks with data ports and self-service fax machines are located in all concourses. |
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US Airways and British Airways both have clubrooms here. The US Airways Club/Business Center is located next to the atrium between concourses C and D. You don't need to be a member to use the business center here (or at any of their clubs), but you'll have to pay a $50 day fee. US Airways Clubrooms are also located on Concourse B and by the international gates of Concourse D.
Non-club members will find data ports, self-serve fax machines, and comfortable seating areas in the Main Atrium Quiet Zone. If you need to take care of banking or mail a letter, you can find a full-service branch of the First Citizens Bank in the Ticketing Lobby of the Main Terminal; ATMs in the Atrium near Concourse A; and stamp machines on the D Concourse connector.
Explore the airport
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Shopping note |
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Best souvenir under $10: Made-in-Charlotte sweet treats, including a 1/2-pound raspberry or huckleberry chocolate kiss, on sale at the News/Gift shop next to Cheers.
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Shop: Shopping highlights include Simply Books in the atrium; Erwin Pearl (jewelry) and Bernard's (clothing) next door to each other at the beginning of the C Concourse; and The Gathering at Gate B4, which offers upscale gifts, gift baskets, cigars, hot sauces, souvenir-sized lighthouses, and other North Carolina-themed items.
Sightsee: In the center of the Main Atrium you'll encounter a piece of artwork titled First in Flight, hanging appropriately enough over the First in Flight bar. The whimsical kinetic sculpture by artist George Greenamyer incorporates gears, model airplanes, mythological images, a clock, and even a paper airplane made out of the letter commissioning the artwork.
Out in the Queen's Courtyard (accessible via the baggage claim level), you'll find
Raymond Kaskey's 15-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Queen Charlotte and a series of historical markers containing information about the airport, the region, local transportation, the North Carolina gold rush, the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, and Queen Charlotte, the namesake for the county and the county seat.
Lookout: The Atrium provides great views of airfield activity, while the end of Concourse D offers good views of the city.
Play around: Kids will enjoy picking out all the whimsical elements in the First in Flight sculpture in the Main Atrium and, depending on the current show, inspecting the art-filled boxes scattered around the Atrium and other spots throughout the airport. If you've got a layover of more than 2 hours, ask the folks at the Information Booth (on the ticketing level) or the Welcome Center (on the baggage claim level) for directions to the nearby Carolinas Aviation Museum (admission: $2). Or just give in and take the kids to the Disney Store or the Candy Express shop in the Atrium, on the way to Concourse D.
Go into town
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More info |
Call ahead to the airport's multilingual, recorded information line at +1 (704) 359-4910, or call the airport Welcome Center at +1 (704) 359-4027.
The Information Counter is located on the ticketing level and is open daily, 7 AM–9 PM. Tel. +1 (704) 359-4013. |
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Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is located 7 miles from Uptown Charlotte. There are set fees for cab rides to a variety of areas around the city, but a ride to the city center will cost you about $20 and can take from 15 to 25 minutes.
A shuttle ride from Carolina Transportation Airport Express to the Uptown area will cost $8. Tel. +1 (704) 359-9600. Public buses (fare: $1) run to and from downtown once an hour.
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