It’s in the Details
Your delay is four hours long and you have nothing to do but watch CNN at your gate or stalk an open rocking chair in The Atrium. We say take a walk and get acquainted with these cool airport spots
Real foliage
Tons of natural light and twenty-eight real ficus trees throughout The Atrium give the area a streetscape vibe.
| The longest distance between two concourses is 3,250 feet (a little more than half a mile) between Concourse A and Concourse E. |
There are eighty-seven rocking chairs throughout the airport, and most are in The Atrium. If you're looking to snag one, settle down in the nearby food court and keep your eyes peeled.
Queen Charlotte Courtyard
Traveling with a pup? Before you pass through security, relieve your pet near this lush, impeccably landscaped garden. Find children blowing off steam and other travelers relaxing among the roses. FYI: pets aren't allowed in the airport unless they fit in a pet travel suitcase.
First aid
All CLT police officers are certified EMTs but there's also a first-aid room near Concourse A. Stop in for medical advice if your baby has a high fever or your blood pressure is skyrocketing.
Best bathrooms
Restrooms in the food court and Concourses B and C are newly renovated and outfitted for families, with benches for nursing and more baby-changing tables. Cool factor: find low-water-use toilets and wall tile made from recycled materials.
Do business.
The auditorium and second-floor conference rooms make sweet venues for local meetings (nonfliers and travelers alike can rent them out). Bonus: renters get free parking. CLT offers upgrades like catering and AV rentals (think LCD projectors), along with binding and copy services.
Terminal Getaway Spa
Many business travelers make weekly visits to this 1,100-square-foot spa, which offers last-minute manicures ($20). Got time? Try a sixty-minute body massage ($90) or a
deluxe, pedicure ($65).
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Feel guilty about leaving Fido at home? Make nice with doggie gift bags ($3.95). The treats look just like white chocolate. Treat yourself, too: caramel apples and fudge are made on site.
Keyed up?
In The Atrium, find a brand-new Yamaha piano that anyone can sit down and play. A hired musician occasionally serenades the crowd, but usually travelers provide impromptu entertainment.
Concourse E atriums
Walk past the first few gates of Concourse E and you'll find the first of two circular atriums that feel a world away from the activity (and noise) of the other concourses. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer plenty of light, plus you'll find white rocking chairs to relax in.
Best view
Concourse D boasts an impressive view of uptown's skyline (best viewed at night). Relax in a rocking chair and watch airplanes take off against the backdrop of familiar buildings, like the BofA headquarters.
Cash Flow
Changing money here is a cinch. First Citizens Bank, near the ticket counters for US Airways and Lufthansa, is well stocked with foreign currency. Also, find ATMs from BofA, Wachovia, and BB&T located between Concourses C and D and also in Concourse E.
Go Postal
Need to mail a letter on the go? There's a post office box near the curbside check-in for US Airways and another in the connector between Concourses D and E.
Rum Bar
This Bacardi bar serves up Caribbean cuisine (try the coconut mango wings, $6.99). Located in Concourse D, where most Caribbean flights depart, it also offers festive drinks like piña coladas and daiquiris.
