Rub Ratings Charlotte (2024)

FAQs

Is a 30 minute layover long enough in Charlotte? ›

There are even regional jet connections allowable at 25 minutes, though 30 and 35 minute connections are common. While many of these connections are doable, inbound aircraft can get slowed down in alleyways or while waiting for gates. So the last few minutes can be the difference between making a connection or not.

A new study from U.S. News & World Report ranks Charlotte in the top five out of 150 major cities for the best places to live in the United States. The 2024-2025 Best Places to Live rankings measure a variety of indicators, including value, job market, quality of life, and desirability.

Airport size

The CLT Douglas Airport currently consists of 1.8 million square feet centered around a single terminal building. This central terminal serves as the heart of the airport, connecting travelers to five concourses, A through E, serving both domestic and international flights through 114 gates.

CLT is the only large hub airport in the Carolinas.

The only way to get between concourses is to walk — there are no trains or electronic people movers. It's possible to walk between the 2 furthest gates within 15 minutes, and for passengers with any mobility issues, wheelchair assistance can be provided by contacting your airline.

In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.

Using this model and data from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, SmartAsset found that a single adult in Charlotte would need an annual income of $101,338 or an hourly wage of $48.72 to live comfortably here.

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Business Journal has mapped out the most affluent areas of the region, ranked by 2021 median household income. Charlotte's wealthiest enclave is the 28207 ZIP code, which includes parts of the Myers Park and Eastover neighborhoods. The median household income in 28207 is $192,500.

The cost of living in Charlotte, NC is 1% higher than the state average and 3% lower than the national average. Charlotte, NC housing is 10% cheaper than the U.S average, while utilities are about 12% less pricey.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is among the world's busiest airports. In its 2023 rankings, Airports Council International put CLT as the seventh busiest airport worldwide and for the number of arrivals and departures. CLT is ninth in North America for passengers.

Is Charlotte bigger than Atlanta? ›

In fact, the city of Charlotte is 1.75 times larger than the city of Atlanta in population and more than double the size of Atlanta as measured in square miles. There are asterisks though. The first one, Charlotte's city population is the result of it gobbling up land through annexations over the past two decades.

Currently, Charlotte has 106 gates and five concourses over 50 acres, according to the airport. By comparison, Atlanta has 192 gates and seven concourses on about 150 acres, according to that airport. “Charlotte is much more compact an airport than Atlanta,” analyst Brancatelli said.

The airport's major hub status attracts business travelers, willing to pay premium prices for last-minute flexibility. Ongoing terminal expansion adds to costs, but keeps pace with increasing passenger demand in a post-pandemic travel boom.

Terminal. Airport rocking chairs. The Club VIP Lounge. CLT has one terminal with 115 gates on five concourses.

Whether it's fishing from a lakeside beach, spending a day shopping and dining inside North Carolina's biggest mall, walking down a hall honoring NASCAR greats, or even enjoying a local pastime of watching planes take off and land, Charlotte – the 'Queen City' – promises days filled with pleasure and inspiration.

When an hour layover could work. For domestic travel, “you can usually get by with a 30 [or] 40 minute connection,” Keyes said. “As long as your first flight is on time, you should be able to make the second flight just fine.”

AA will tell you 40 minutes but I like having the extra 20 minutes in CLT especially if you at the far end of B and have to go to the the far end of E.

Unfortunately, Charlotte Douglas International ranked among the 10 worst airports for layovers. In the study, the website focused on the 50 American airports that served the highest number of domestic passengers in 2020, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

CLT officials also recommend travelers arrive at the Airport and be inside the terminal at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.