Charlotte Douglas International Airport — Local services in Charlotte

Before anything, I want to say that every gate, flight, and security staff member was polite and kind to us - no complaints on that front. They seemed genuinely sympathetic. But this has been the worst airport experience I've ever had.

Our connection flight that was set to leave around 11pm was initially delayed. No big deal. We finally board, wait for another 45 minutes, then have to disembark because the plane's brakes are overheating and maintenance was being called. Okay, again, not the end of the world. Would rather be safe than sorry. But the experience from there forward was beyond frustrating logistically.

The flight is delayed again until 2am and then again until 5am as they try to work out what to do and the plane is taken out of service, then tentatively put back into service, then taken out again. It seemed like these updated boarding time announcements were made out of optimism and not based on any solid confirmation of a new flight time/plane being ready. (I believe the flight finally ended up actually leaving at 6:30am the next morning.)

While there are many options, almost all food places including convenience stores close at 10pm or 11pm here and it was past 1am so the $12 meal vouchers they tried to give us were essentially worthless at that point and anyone that might have needed to buy something like a charger was out of luck. The C terminal was also noticeably dirty - trash and food bits on the floor and under the chairs. There was a half eaten pizza slice just lying face down in the middle of the carpet. I wish I had taken a picture of it. It looked so sad. I will give them some grace that it was the very end of the day at that point. The bathroom door lock was off its hinge and dangling in the ladies room. The chairs with wireless phone charging built in were nice and plentiful, I will say, but a bit uncomfortable for long waits.

We finally decided to rebook our flight for the following morning and were directed that we could go pick our checked bags up at Baggage Services since they had been removed from the plane at that point. Signage was a bit unclear and there was some construction getting to Baggage Services. Getting there does require you to go past the security checkpoint. Once we get to Baggage Services, they inform us that their system is down and they cannot get anyone their bags and security does not reopen until 3:30am at the earliest so now we cannot get back into the terminal either. So our option was essentially to leave the airport, sleep in our clothes, and pray our bags make it to our new flight correctly in the chaos.

The hotels nearby were backed out the door with people trying to check in with vouchers from other flights that had been cancelled that night, including a pair of international travelers we met whose hotel vouchers were not working/correctly booked for them so they were turned away from the hotel at 2:15am in a foreign country.

Our flight out the next morning was initially on time, but sat on the tarmac for an hour past departure time due to maintenance and fuel balancing issues, and then waiting in a long line for take off. There was also a sudden slam on the brakes before takeoff which was a little rattling as a passenger and I am not a nervous flyer...

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) has evolved through pragmatic, successive interventions rather than a single grand architectural gesture, reflecting how infrastructure often develops in contemporary America. Its architectural story began with a utilitarian 1980s terminal, now largely obscured by renovations. A key architectural addition was the $200 million Concourse A expansion in 2018 by Perkins&Will. This project introduced transparency and volumetric generosity with double-height spaces and electrochromic glazing that dynamically adjusts to light, a contrast to older, sealed terminal designs. CLT distinguishes itself through thoughtful programming that creates a sense of place. The iconic white rocking chairs, now a recognizable feature, originated from a 1997 photography exhibition, "Porch Sitting." Passenger demand led to their permanent installation, with the chairs supplied by North Carolina's Troutman Chair Company. This highlights a rare instance of passenger preference directly shaping the airport's architectural character. The recent $585 million Terminal Lobby Expansion, a collaboration between Gresham Smith and K2M Design, received AIA Richmond and Tampa Bay Design Awards. This project features sparkling white glass tile, crisp terrazzo, and stainless steel, offering a contemporary take on Southern architectural traditions while avoiding generic airport design or regional clichés. A notable architectural element within the terminal is "Interconnected," a $2.9 million digital art installation by Refik Anadol. This data sculpture comprises over 2,100 square feet of high-definition LED media walls, transforming operational airport data into flowing abstract visuals. Its 140-foot-long centerpiece display along a moving walkway corridor elevates a transitional space into a distinctive processional experience. The airport's culinary program also reinforces regional identity, with Carolina BBQ and sophisticated Southern cuisine from James Beard Award-nominated chef Greg Collier connecting to Charlotte's food culture. CLT offers a case study in how programming and modest formal interventions can overcome infrastructural limitations. An ongoing $4 billion enhancement program involves multiple firms, including RS&H, Gresham Smith, and Perkins&Will, indicating a continued focus on incremental improvement. Charlotte Douglas reflects its city's pragmatic and hospitable nature, prioritizing a legible, comfortable passenger experience over architectural spectacle. This approach appears to resonate with travelers, as suggested by its 3.9-star rating from 42,000 reviews, who find an authentic reflection of place. This modestly expressed authenticity is arguably a valuable architectural quality in an era of often detached...

This has to be one of the worst airports in the entire United States. I fly constantly, probably more than 95 percent of people, and every time I am forced to deal with Charlotte it is a guaranteed disaster. Moving walkways broken, escalators broken, bathrooms filthy, gates in chaos, staff standing around staring into space like they are allergic to work. It feels like the entire operation is a masterclass in how to collect a paycheck while doing as little as humanly possible. If laziness had a capital city, Charlotte Airport would be it.

The employees shuffle around at a snail’s pace as if the union contract specifically outlawed moving at normal human speed. You sit there waiting not for the plane, but for the ground crew to finally appear and wave their little sticks like they just woke up from a nap. It is as if marshalling an aircraft is a once-a-week hobby instead of their job. There is no urgency, no professionalism, just a sea of blank stares and rolled eyes.

And let’s talk about construction. Charlotte builds on the “pay as you go” plan. They start a project, run out of money, then let it rot in plain sight. The E terminal is a total joke. That moving sidewalk has been “under construction” for what feels like two years. Every six months you might notice a single new beam like a progress update from a one-man handyman crew hired part-time after mowing his neighbor’s lawn. The rest sits half-finished, collecting dust, like some sort of art exhibit on inefficiency.

The layout is laughable. Narrow halls packed like cattle chutes, bottlenecks in every direction, people tripping over each other just to get to gates that are jammed and delayed anyway. You would think this was a Greyhound station bolted to a strip mall, not a major airport hub. The place looks permanently half-built, half-broken, and fully neglected.

This should be a gateway to Charlotte, a city worth visiting, but instead it is an embarrassment. Instead of saying “Welcome to Charlotte,” the airport screams “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.” The governor’s first order of business every month should be to sit down and figure out how to fix this circus. Fire half the employees, replace the rest with humanoids, bulldoze the construction sites, and start fresh. Because right now, Charlotte Airport is not a transportation hub, it is a monument to wasted time and wasted money.

It is horrific, it is embarrassing, and it is a destination to avoid. If you want to see the extinction of work ethic in real time, book a layover at Charlotte. If airports were ranked as comedy sketches, this one would be a headliner: pure slapstick incompetence, and the passengers are...