CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Douglas International Airport announced Tuesday that low-cast airline Spirit will soon begin service to and from the Queen City.
Spirit Airlines announced that Charlotte will become its fourth destination in North Carolina. The airline will begin service on June 20 and will offer nonstop flights to Baltimore/Washington D.C., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Orlando, Florida and Newark, New Jersey.
Those nonstop flights will be offered every day out of Charlotte. Spirit Airlines said the growth in Charlotte and at the airport made it an easy decision to pick the Queen City.
"When you think about the Southeast, Charlotte's right up there with Atlanta in terms of big cities that you think about," said John Kirby, vice president of network planning at Spirit Airlines. "I would say, if we do well, we typically add service.
"So if these flights are successful, I would look for us to add more capacity."
Due to the growth and economic impact the Queen City is making across the state, Spirit has been looking at offering flight here for a long time. According to a report released in January by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Charlotte Douglas contributes $23 billion in annual economic input to the state and region, $1.1 billion in state and local taxes, $5.7 billion in personal income and is now the sixth-busiest air field in the nation.
To accommodate the growth expected with Spirit and the way the city is going, the airport has more plans to expand.
Brent Cagle, the aviation director at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, said last summer the new gates created more capacity for additional carriers.
"One of the signature improvements starting next year is the expansion of the terminal lobby," Cagle said.
This is expected to expand all security checkpoints, ticketing and bag claim areas.
"We would anticipate adding a new runway to be opened by about 2023," Cagle said.