Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) processed more than 53 million passengers in 2023, surpassing its pre-pandemic peak and making it the ninth-busiest airport in the US. Of these, almost 34 million were traveling with American Airlines , giving the carrier a staggering 64% market share. No other airline even comes close to an operation on this scale at the airport - the next largest are: Spirit Airlines (2.
4%) Delta Air Lines (2.3%) United Airlines (2.0%).
What is it that has made Charlotte Douglas International Airport such an important hub for American Airlines? Strategic location Charlotte Douglas International Airport is one of American Airlines' so-called 'sunbelt hubs,' with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) being another. Their strategic locations make them ideally placed for connecting traffic on busy routes between the north and south, including to and from popular vacation hotspots across Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The busiest domestic route from Charlotte in 2023 was to Orlando International Airport (MCO), seeing more than 872,000 passengers.
When it comes to international services, three out of the four busiest routes in 2023 were to Mexico and the Caribbean: Cancún (CUN) - 493,000 passengers Punta Cana (PUJ) - 366,000 passengers Montego Bay (MBJ) - 360,000 passengers. American Airlines also offers a number of transatlantic connection opportunities to other oneworld hubs, such as London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Madrid-Barajas A.
