CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Charlotte Douglas International Airport broke ground with its fourth parallel runway on Friday.
Airport, airline, and government officials gathered for the ceremony:
Scheduled for commissioning in fall 2027, the runway will allow 20 additional arrival and departures.
“This is a special day for the City of Charlotte,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said.
The $1.006 billion project will add a 10,000-foot-long by 150-foot-wide runway located west of Runway 18C/36C, serving departing traffic.
“As one of the busiest airports in the world, CLT is a top economic driver for the State of North Carolina,” Lyles continued. “This new runway will increase our operational productivity enabling additional flights while reducing our carbon footprint.”
A parallel runway is two or more runways at the same airport whose centerlines are side by side.
Charlotte’s will include north and south-end taxiways. Officials advise this will reduce aircraft operating time, fuel burn, and emissions, eliminating long wait times for passengers’ aircraft to reach their gates.
“The construction of a fourth parallel runway at Charlotte Douglas will be vital to promote continued growth in the Charlotte region and is a huge win for the state,” said N.C. Senator Thom Tillis.
