Jerrod KingeryA fourth runway is coming to North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) thanks to a funding commitment from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The $290 million Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding from the FAA will be used for the construction of the Fourth Parallel Runway, which is part of the airport’s 2016 Master Plan Update to address capacity concerns and to prepare for future demand.
The new 10,000-foot-long runway will sit west of the current Runway18/36C. This grant will also fund the completion of north and south end-around taxiways to allow aircraft on the current western runway to bypass both the new and center runways.
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CLT says these enhancements will reduce aircraft operating time, fuel consumption and emissions. FAA says that without this new runway, average aircraft delays will increase by 58%, or 12 minutes, over the next 15 years.
These improvements will also decrease long wait times for passengers. CLT currently has the highest share of connecting passengers at any airport in the country. This fourth runway decreases the potential for delays at the airport that could disrupt travelers systemwide.
Perhaps most importantly, the FAA says this project will improve safety by addressing a known taxiway “hot spot,” an area where the risk of a collision or runway incursion is heightened.
The new runway is currently the only runway construction project underway in the U.S. and marks the final project in the Destination CLT portfolio—a $4 billion capital investment that also includes terminal renovations and roadway upgrades.
The funding commitment from the FAA is provided under a Letter of Intent (LOI), which helps fund large-scale capacity projects with multiple years of committed AIP grants. This funding can be used for projects that enhance airport capacity, both at the airport itself and across the system.
The airport anticipates construction to be completed by the fall of 2027.
Photo courtesy Charlotte Douglas International Airport
