NCDOT Report Reveals CLT Contributes $23 Billion to State’s Annual Economy

Charlotte Douglas International Airport leads the state as the top economic engine among North Carolina airports, according to a report released by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Division of Aviation.

The report, North Carolina: The State of Aviation, shows CLT contributes $23 billion in annual economic output, $1.1 billion in state and local taxes, 132,330 jobs for North Carolina residents and $5.7 billion in personal income.

“We value our position in Charlotte and the state as a vital asset to the economy,” said Aviation Director/CEO Brent Cagle. “The Airport remains committed to providing a first-class facility that allows businesses to thrive and passengers to travel around the world.”

Overall, North Carolina’s 10 commercial service and 62 general aviation airports generate more than $52 billion in economic output, approximately 307,000 jobs, $12.6 billion in personal income and $2.2 billion in state and local tax revenues to the state’s economy.

These numbers reveal CLT makes up 44 percent of the state’s economic output, 53 percent of state and local taxes, 43 percent of jobs and 46 percent of personal income related to North Carolina airports.

Data for the NCDOT report was compiled and analyzed by North Carolina’s State University’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education using 2017 figures from airports and the latest information on the state’s aviation assets available from public and private sources.

Charlotte Douglas is the second largest hub for American Airlines, the world’s largest airline. In 2017, CLT welcomed nearly 46 million passengers. Numbers for 2018 are expected in March. Nationwide, CLT ranks sixth in operations and tenth in passenger traffic.

Please click here to read the full report.