Another new section of Charlotte Douglas Airport will be open to the public next week, just ahead of the holiday travel season. Airport officials said travelers will be able to use Concourse A expansion starting on Sept. 17, next Tuesday.
There will be seven gates for Delta Airlines, two for Frontier and one common use gate. The expanded concourse will now bring the airport's number of gates to 124.
The 200,000-square-foot expansion features tinted windows in the terminal and will provide a much more artsy experience for passengers who might be used to the drab carpet and drop ceilings on Concourse B.
When passengers enter newly expanded Concourse A, they’ll be taken back in history with sounds of the Wright Brother Flyer piped in as they walk.
Once passengers make it into the concourse they will also see a tail from a former American Airlines MD-82 jet, repurposed as a sculpture, along with seating and tables that have phone charging capabilities. The expansion also features a bar, restaurant and a Dunkin' Donuts.
Phase two began construction in 2022. Chief Infrastructure Officer Jack Christine said the project went smoothly, even during a time when costs were rising. “The budget for this project was $241 million,” Christine said. "We are under budget and we are on time, which is always two good things to say."
With the holiday rush in two months, CEO Haley Gentry said the new gates will be a major help.
“September and October traditionally have been a little bit slower. I will tell you our numbers right now are not indicating a slowdown," she said. "But we will have more gates to access.”
