North Carolina's Charlotte Douglas Airport Opens Plane-Spotting Area

Image: American Airlines airplane at the gate of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. (Photo Credit: Red Lemon / Adobe Stock)
Image: American Airlines airplane at the gate of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. (Photo Credit: Red Lemon / Adobe Stock)
Rich Thomaselli
by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 8:30 AM ET, Fri June 14, 2024

Remember when you were a little kid, you used to enjoy just going to the airport to watch the planes take off and land? You didn’t even need an airline ticket. Now, you can have that joy and wonder again at any age.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport has opened a plane-spotting area that does not require an airline ticket for entry. The 600,000-square-foot overlook is for all ages and includes food trucks and a playground.

It is located less than two miles from the airport itself.

“The airport knows how important the overlook is to the local community and we worked diligently to create a place that people of all ages will enjoy,” CLT Chief Infrastructure Officer Jack Christine said in a statement. “This space showcases many displays and features that will educate, inspire and create lasting memories.”

How cool is it? The playground even features a mini control tower and other aviation-themed amenities.

Charlotte Douglas is a hub for American Airlines, so there is plenty of traffic.

The area also includes a memorial to USAir Flight 1016, which crashed while trying to land in 1994, as well as other amenities, including a baby-changing station and a pet relief area.

Security remains tight at the airport as it just opened a new Transportation Security Administration checkpoint.


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Rich Thomaselli

Rich Thomaselli

Associate Writer

Editor Associate Writer true 9281 14744 Rich Thomaselli has written for TravelPulse since 2014 and has been a professional journalist for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times and New York Yankees publications. He is an 11-time writ

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