CLT plan links new Concourse C gates and tunnel to airline deal

Charlotte Douglas International Airport has outlined a proposed program of nearly a dozen projects, including additional Concourse C gates and a passenger tunnel, as negotiations continue with its five signatory airlines on a new Airline Use and Lease Agreement.

CLT’s October 8 announcement described the proposed program, called CLT Beyond, as spanning the terminal, airfield and airport campus. The agreement and associated projects remain subject to Charlotte City Council approval; the airport said negotiations with American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest and United continue to progress.

Proposed terminal and airfield work

The project highlights include expanding Concourse C with additional gates and building a tunnel connecting the main terminal to the expanded concourse. Other items include renovations to international arrivals, airfield improvements to support the Fourth Parallel Runway, and modernization or replacement of essential infrastructure, including electrical systems.

CLT also listed planning and design for future international-gate facilities and an atrium expansion. The announcement describes selected highlights, not a complete project-by-project inventory. It gives no total program cost, exact gate count or construction schedule; Axios reported that an airport spokesperson declined to provide a cost estimate.

CLT has framed the proposed agreement around capital development, strengthening the airport’s financial position, operational flexibility and preserving airport assets. The AULA governs business arrangements between the airport and signatory airlines, including property rights, operations, maintenance and repair obligations, and financial commitments.

Existing agreement remains in effect during talks

The current agreement took effect July 1, 2016, and was scheduled to expire June 30, 2026. The parties extended it while negotiations continued. Axios reported in May that the extension could last up to one year, and CLT says the existing agreement remains in place during the talks.

CLT scheduled a public presentation for the City Council’s Council Action Review on October 12 at 5 p.m. in Room 267. The session is a presentation, not an approval vote. CLT says a review period will follow before council considers the agreement at a later meeting.

CLT has cited N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-6(d) in discussing the negotiations. The provision does not create blanket protection for all AULA negotiations; it sets a conditional standard for certain project-specific records.