Charlotte Douglas International Airport Secures Long-Term Airline Partnership to Support $2.1bn Expansion Programme

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is set to advance a major programme of infrastructure investment and operational improvements following the approval of a new ten-and-a-half-year agreement with its five signatory airlines.

Approved by Charlotte City Council on 9 November, the Airline Use and Lease Agreement (AULA) between CLT and American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest and United will take effect on 1 January 2027, providing a framework for the airport’s continued development through to June 2037.

Central to the agreement is CLT Beyond, an estimated $2.1 billion capital development programme encompassing almost a dozen projects across the terminal, airfield and wider airport campus. The programme will be funded through a combination of airport revenue bonds, passenger facility charges and federal grants.

Major projects include the expansion of Concourse C to provide additional gates, a new passenger tunnel connecting the main terminal with the expanded concourse, and improvements to international arrivals facilities. Airfield investment will also support the opening and operation of the airport’s Fourth Parallel Runway, alongside upgrades to critical infrastructure, including electrical systems.

The agreement also provides for the planning and design of future international gate facilities and an expansion of the terminal atrium, supporting CLT’s longer-term capacity requirements.

Operational flexibility is another key element of the arrangement, with the number of City-managed gates increasing from 10 to 17. This represents a 70% increase since 2016 and will be accompanied by higher gate utilisation targets to encourage more efficient use of airport facilities.

Over the agreement’s base term, the airport estimates that net airline rents, fees and charges will total approximately $3 billion. The financial framework also introduces a revised revenue-sharing arrangement, allocating 55% to the airport and 45% to the signatory airlines, alongside enhanced credit protections and increased debt service coverage requirements.

Haley Gentry, chief executive officer at CLT, said: “This agreement reflects a win for the community as it maintains CLT as an economic engine of the Carolinas, generating $40 billion in economic impact and over 184,000 jobs annually. The AULA is a partnership that helps ensure investments that position CLT for the future.”

The agreement establishes the commercial and operational framework governing the relationship between the airport and its airline partners, covering property rights, airport operations, maintenance responsibilities and financial commitments. It also maintains the parties’ commitment to workforce development programmes and partnerships.

The previous AULA took effect on 1 July 2016 and was originally scheduled to expire on 30 June 2026. An extension was agreed to allow additional time to negotiate a longer-term arrangement supporting the airport’s continued growth and development.