Pandemic Causes Record Traffic Dip At Charlotte Douglas Airport

CHARLOTTE, NC — The coronavirus pandemic impact nearly every facet of American life in 2020, including airline travel, which resulted in Charlotte Douglas International Airport seeing its lowest traffic since 2005, airport officials reported.

The airport served 27.2 million passengers last year, according to transportation officials, who reported the number of travelers dipped under 28 million for the first time in 15 years. The 46 percent dip came just a year after the airport witnessed record traffic with more than 50 million passengers traveling through Charlotte.

Airport officials cited the global pandemic as the reason for the drop in passengers, but said the airport fared better than other locations around the country that saw drops of between 60 and 70 percent.

So far this year, travel is down 54 percent, officials said, as fewer people are traveling for both business and pleasure as the pandemic approaches its one-year anniversary.

"By far, it’s definitely not where we want to be,” Acting Aviation Director and CEO Haley Gentry said of the drop in traffic in a statement.

The number of flights traveling in and out of Charlotte also dropped significantly as 397,983 flights either arrived or departed, compared to 578,263 in 2019, airport officials reported. Despite the 31 percent drop in flights traveling through Charlotte, the airport continued to provide a boost to the region’s economy, officials said.

The airport also contributed $24.6 billion in annual economic input, $1.3 billion in state/local taxes and provided 169,390 jobs for North Carolina residents and $6.8 billion in personal income, according to a report conducted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation.

Despite the drop in passengers who traveled, airport officials said they attempted to make those who did travel feel confident in doing so. After the pandemic began, the airport introduced numerous safety measures. A crew of more than 300 employees charged with keeping the airport clean provided deep cleanings and made sure that high-traffic areas of the airport received extra attention. In addition, partitions were added at ticket counters and other areas used by passengers to ensure safety as the pandemic continued.

“The past year has been a learning experience for all of us,” Gentry said. “If anything, it has taught us perseverance, resilience and how to develop multiple plans. We remain vigilant about the needs of our passengers and employees and are truly optimistic about what lies ahead for CLT in 2021.”