CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS
MUNICIPAL AIRPORT




An Eastern Air Lines Martin 404 parked at the old Charlotte terminal in the late 1950s.

Charlotte's Douglas Field opened its new passenger terminal in early 1954. The building was situated just south of the intersection of the airport's two major runways, across the field from the previous passenger facility.

In its initial configuration, the building totaled 70,000 square feet. The terminal itself had two floors, although passenger operations were confined to the ground floor. Ticketing and baggage claim were located on each side of an open space which bisected the building from north to south. The mezzanine restaurant and various airline offices looked out on this open space.

Three 'piers' extended in each direction from the central building. They weren't really piers at all, just covered walkways (open on the sides) extending across the apron. Eastern, which used Charlotte as an important north-south connecting point, parked its aircraft on the west pier, which was the longest. Piedmont used the center pier (a portion of which is visible in the above photo), while Capital and Southern used the east pier. The east pier was closest to the main north-south runway and was very short as a result.


The CLT terminal as it looked when it opened in 1954. From the Charlotte Observer courtesy of Chris Jones


CLT's terminal area as it appeared in the early 1960s. Eastern used the west pier, Piedmont and Delta the center pier, and United and Southern the east pier. Note the "Charlotte" sign on the center pier and the Eastern DC8 at the west pier.


A 1950s postcard showing the airside and landside of CLT. The picture windows at each end marked the ends of the building's mezzanine atrium.

Delta was granted routes to Charlotte in 1956 and joined Piedmont on the center pier. In 1961, Capital merged with United; other than those changes, Charlotte would be served by the same four carriers for the next 25 years.


A view of CLT in the mid-1960s, just before the 1967-1969 expansion program got underway. Four 727s belonging to Eastern - then the airport's dominant carrier - are parked along the center pier. From the Charlotte Observer courtesy of Chris Jones

A major renovation project in the late 1960s expanded the facility considerably. Eastern opened a 'unit terminal' in 1967, replacing the old west pier. This new facility had eight dedicated gates for Eastern, each with its own departure lounge, as well as a snack bar and separate baggage claim space. Eastern passengers continued to check in at the main terminal.


A grainy view of the new Eastern concourse.


Two aerial views of CLT in 1968. The new Eastern unit terminal is complete on the left; however, construction has not yet begun on the new north concourse facility. Left photo from the Charlotte Observer courtesy of Chris Jones

Two years later in 1969, a new enclosed concourse was built parallel to the center pier. When it was completed, Piedmont, Eastern and Delta moved in and the old center pier was demolished. The new concourse also had separate departure lounges, as well as restrooms and an enlarged baggage claim area. United's flights continued to the use the east pier, although an enclosed holdroom was added for waiting passengers.


A newspaper article from the dedication of the new north concourse in 1969. From the Charlotte Observer courtesy of Chris Jones


The main entrance to the old CLT as it looked in 1969.


A diagram of CLT in 1971. From a United Air Lines service guide


This 1973 aerial view of CLT shows both concourse additions complete. Eastern is adding two more gates to the end of its west concourse; also note that a new "Welcome to Charlotte" sign has been erected atop the north concourse.


Two postcards showing landside views of the old Charlotte terminal in the mid-1970s. Eastern's west concourse addition is on the left, the 1954 main building is at center and the south concourse (with a United 727 in the new 1974 color scheme) is at right. Courtesy of Juan Garcia


Looking down on CLT's main hall from the upper level mezzanine during the 1970s. The photo looks north, towards the center concourse. Eastern's ticket counter is on the left, the other three airlines' on the right. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Douglas International Airport


A view across the airfield from the rooftop observation deck of Eastern's 'unit terminal,' also from the 1970s. Several Eastern DC9s are visible at left; Eastern operated a major connecting complex at CLT well into the 1980s. The wooded area across the runway is now the site of the current terminal building. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Doughlas International Airport


The original portion of the building, seen from the current control tower during its construction in 1978. Except for the tail of an Eastern DC9, no aircraft are visible. At left, the baggage claim area and the beginning of the 'new' center concourse can be seen. The old center pier began just below the control tower before it was razed in the late 1960s. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Douglas International Airport

After Deregulation in 1978, Southern pulled out of CLT to focus on Atlanta and Memphis. Eastern beefed up its Charlotte schedules, making CLT (along with Atlanta) its southern hub. Piedmont also chose CLT as the center of its operations. Passenger numbers at the terminal nearly doubled between 1978 and 1980. A new 10,000-foot parallel runway and control tower were opened in 1979 to handle the increased passenger loads. The airport's master plan also called for construction of a new terminal across the runway from the existing site. Ground was broken in 1979.


A view of CLT in either 1980 or 1981. One of Piedmont's connecting complexes is in full swing - the apron can barely hold all the 737s! A United 727 is barely visible at the far end of the lineup, while a Delta DC9 is parked on the rather empty west side of the center concourse. I wish this photo were bigger - it shows just how crowded the building became in its final years.


Two views of Eastern DC9s at the old Charlotte terminal in 1978. In the first view, the "Welcome to Charlotte" sign atop the center concourse is visible; the control tower appears in the second.
Photos by Ellis Chernoff


CLT as it was laid out in 1981 - this same configuration had been in place since the late 1960s. The new building would be completed shortly. From a United Airlines service guide courtesy of Tom Moore

The new Charlotte terminal was opened in mid-1982: a modern structure with separate floors for arrivals and departures, two boarding concourses, and amenities like jetway loading bridges and baggage carousels. This is the complex that is in use today, although it has been expanded and altered many times since it opened. It's now a main hub for US Airways, which acquired Piedmont in 1987.


A diagram of the new CLT on opening day in 1982. Compare this with the map of the old terminal from 1981!
Reprinted from Airport World magazine


An early 1980s view of the new terminal apron with the old terminal visible in the far distance. Demolition of the center concourse is underway.
Photo by Edward Mayes

The old terminal site was converted a cargo center in the mid-1980s. The central concourse and Eastern 'unit terminal' were removed to make way for larger, more modern cargo buildings. The original main building and control tower still stand, however, and are used for office space.


The front of the old Charlotte terminal in March 1988. The main building and infield parking lot are still as they were in 1982, when the building closed. Note the new cargo building, which replaced the center concourse, in the background on the right. The connector to Eastern's unit terminal would have been on the left. Photo by Tom Moore


A satellite view of the old CLT terminal in 2001. Again, only the original building and parking lot are still intact; cargo facilities have taken over the rest of the site.

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