Paving crews are now rolling across the footprint of Charlotte Douglas International Airport's Fourth Parallel Runway, a visible shift from dirt work to concrete in the long-running Destination CLT program. The airport expects the new strip to be commissioned in 2027 and says the added capacity is intended to ease peak hour congestion and boost on time performance.
CLT Airport highlighted the milestone on social media Wednesday, noting that paving operations are progressing and the runway remains on track for commissioning in 2027. The post framed the project as supporting “long term safety, efficiency and growth,” according to CLT Airport on X.
Paving operations are progressing on CLT's Fourth Parallel Runway, scheduled for commissioning in 2027! This milestone supports long-term safety, efficiency and growth. https://t.co/QmkJKQhKjD
— CLT Airport (@CLTAirport) March 22, 2026
What the fourth runway adds
The new runway is planned at 10,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, set just west of existing Runway 18C/36C. It will include north and south end around taxiways designed to cut down on runway crossings and speed up aircraft movements across the airfield, according to CLT Airport. Ground was officially broken on the project in June 2023.
Timeline and what's left
Concrete paving began in 2025 and is expected to finish in early 2027, with formal commissioning targeted for fall 2027. The federal construction outlook lists CLT's fourth runway as an active project and shows charting, navigation aid work and tie ins carrying through 2027. The same document notes that runway renumbering and temporary outages will be phased in to support safe charting, per the FAA Airport Construction Impact Report.
Funding and the bigger plan
The FAA has issued a Letter of Intent for roughly $290 million in Airport Improvement Program funding, and the fourth runway is described as the final, high cost piece of the airport’s broader Destination CLT program, a multibillion dollar effort to expand capacity and modernize both terminal and airfield, per WCCB Charlotte. Airport materials put the runway phase itself at roughly a $1 billion airfield investment within that larger portfolio.
Runway renumbering and local impacts
To line up with the new layout, CLT plans to renumber its existing runways between May and September 2026 and repaint more than 120 markings along with dozens of signs so pilots are not confused once the fourth parallel appears on charts, according to CLT Airport. Nearby road work and utility tie ins are expected to keep causing occasional detours while grading and drainage work wrap up.
Materials and jobs
Regional suppliers describe the paving workload as significant. Titan America reported on its Q2 2025 call that its Mid Atlantic unit is supplying cement for CLT's runway and ramp paving through 2027, and that this demand is supporting local ready mix and aggregate activity, per Investing.com. Contractors say the multiyear schedule will support construction jobs across the region as crews continue work into next year.
As the project shifts from earthmoving to steady concrete pours, travelers can look for a more robust airfield by 2027 but should plan on occasional airfield outages and construction noise through 2026. For more detail on how the runway fits into CLT’s broader growth strategy and what it means for passengers, see reporting by local outlets and the FAA, per WFAE.
