Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[Vitamin_N]

7 hours ago, ScottCLT said:

I have been a Chase Sapphire Preferred card holder for several years and its benefits are second to none for the annual fee. But looking at the benefits for the Reserve card, I just don't get it. Chase SP is awesome and worth the $95 per year. I earn that back in a month or so easily. But an extra $400/year for what would end up being minimal benefits for me? 

Note that you get $300 in travel reimbursements with the Reserve, so assuming you use that it's effectively $150 per year. And the Citi AA Executive card will still get you into AA lounges, although that one's got a $450 fee.

[HopHead]

IMO, back in the day the best card hands down was the AMEX platinum. You had access to most every airport lounge around. It was worth the $450/year and a lot of companies would reimburse you if you traveled for your job (mine did). Then of course those dwindled off. Now you get access to the Centurion, Delta and I think Priority Pass. The choices in the US are far less. Still hope CLT gets one of those soon instead of just having the AA lounges. Perhaps in the new Concourse A expansion? Which btw, the CLT Twitter posted some pics of:

 

[ChessieCat]

3 hours ago, Vitamin_N said:

Note that you get $300 in travel reimbursements with the Reserve, so assuming you use that it's effectively $150 per year. And the Citi AA Executive card will still get you into AA lounges, although that one's got a $450 fee.

In fact you get two $300 reimbursements if you apply this year (one in 2016, one in 2017), so the $600 more than offsets the $450 annual fee for the first year.  That's not even including the 100,000 point sign up bonus ($1,500 value on chase travel website) or $100 Global Entry reimbursement.  The 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants and on travel is great too.  All in all you can make $1,750 off the card in the first year.

Edited October 28, 2016 by ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

11 hours ago, ScottCLT said:

I have been a Chase Sapphire Preferred card holder for several years and its benefits are second to none for the annual fee. But looking at the benefits for the Reserve card, I just don't get it. Chase SP is awesome and worth the $95 per year. I earn that back in a month or so easily. But an extra $400/year for what would end up being minimal benefits for me? Nah...I'll pass. Priority Pass is useless to me for the most part, as I am primarily an AA flyer. Even the Citi Prestige card, which I was so close to applying for, will be ending AA lounge membership benefits next year (glad I didn't apply - it would have actually saved me lounge membership cost if it did, but it soon will not and is still $450/year). I think the only way to get into an AA lounge after that ends in June 2017 will be to be a lounge member or be a frequent international traveler. But like I said before, AA lounges are already crowded enough...any more people in there then you might as well hit up any other airport restaurant/bar. That being said, the new lounge upgrades which have yet to hit CLT are nice, but still I'm debating whether it's worth it to remain a member.

See answer above. $1,750 in first year benefits

Edited October 28, 2016 by ChessieCat

[ScottCLT]

35 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

In fact you get two $300 reimbursements if you apply this year (one in 2016, one in 2017), so the $600 offsets the $450 annual fee for the first year.  That's not even including the 100,000 sign up bonus or $100 Global Entry reimbursement.  The 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants and on travel is great too.  All in all you can make $1,250 off the card in the first year if I'm not mistaken.

Well, I guess I might be in a bit of a different situation because I fly almost exclusively for work, which never goes on my own card - It goes on a company card which I don't get the points for. Work reimbursed me for Global Entry as an expense, which is awesome! But, my work also books my hotels, rental cars, etc. so I get no personal benefits on those purchases.

When I travel for vacation, I have enough miles to cover first class tickets for everyone (usually - but if not, at least economy) just based on my airline miles earned by flying. I haven't actually purchased an airline ticket for a pleasure trip in probably 5 years due to the mileage that I have amassed with work travel available for free reward travel. For me, points which end up in cash rewards and/or are redeemable for cash at websites like Amazon are of more benefit than airline miles since I haven't had to purchase my own airfare in the last several years due to miles earned. And Chase kicks Amex's butt on that perk.

[cltbwimob]

CLT is getting two new destinations with Via Air- Orlando and Shenandoah Valley, VA.  I believe this will bring their total number of destinations to eight.  According to Wikipedia CLT is now considered the hub for Via Air.  I know the source isn't necessarily credible but it does make sense considering there are, by far, more flights to and from CLT than any other airport in their system.

[CLT2014]

18 minutes ago, cltbwimob said:

CLT is getting two new destinations with Via Air- Orlando and Shenandoah Valley, VA.  I believe this will bring their total number of destinations to eight.  According to Wikipedia CLT is now considered the hub for Via Air.  I know the source isn't necessarily credible but it does make sense considering there are, by far, more flights to and from CLT than any other airport in their system.

These flights will operate on Sunday and Wednesday only, on a 50 seat ERj-145 regional jet. One way fares start at $44, most seem to be around $99. If you are visiting the parks, Sanford Airport is about 45 minutes away from the Disney offramp vs. 18 mins from Orlando-MCO Airport.

For the flights to Orlando - Sanford:
Departs Charlotte at 1:33PM
Departs Orlando - Sanford to Charlotte: 3:36PM

Edited November 1, 2016 by CLT2014

[ssh214]

Via Air apparently uses a Concourse A gate, is that really the best use for an already limited concourse?

[CLT2014]

3 hours ago, saamh said:

Via Air apparently uses a Concourse A gate, is that really the best use for an already limited concourse?

I think American has exclusive usage of all other gates that could handle a regional jet such as concourse E in their master lease agreement. 

Edited November 2, 2016 by CLT2014

[ssh214]

2 hours ago, CLT2014 said:

I think American has exclusive usage of all other gates that could handle a regional jet such as concourse E in their master lease agreement. 

That would make sense, I'm not complaining about their presence at the airport, I just think they would have been better off at an E concourse if it were permitted. Couldn't they use the Wilson Air Center too?

 

[LKN704]

A poster at FlyerTalk stated that there are rumors going around that with the removal of the A333s starting next year, CLT will lose all TATL service except to LHR and FRA.

[ssh214]

4 hours ago, LKN704 said:

A poster at FlyerTalk stated that there are rumors going around that with the removal of the A333s starting next year, CLT will lose all TATL service except to LHR and FRA.

These "posters" are the same people that said Charlotte would be dehubbed and the service will be shifted to Miami... Granted that was mostly on airliners.net but you get my point

[CLT2014]

9 hours ago, saamh said:

That would make sense, I'm not complaining about their presence at the airport, I just think they would have been better off at an E concourse if it were permitted. Couldn't they use the Wilson Air Center too?

 

There is no TSA at Wilson Air Center and ViaAir is operating these flights as a commercial airline, not a private jet service. Plus, Wilson Air Center is set up to cater to private jets and I doubt the owner of the terminal wants the Mickey Mouse crowd that hunted for $44 one way flights to Orlando over there. With American Airlines controlling essentially all of Concourses B, C, D, and E in their lease agreement, all other airlines are forced to use Concourse A (which thankfully is being expanded and improved). I believe the airport has more authority to lease gate space in Concourse D due to it being the only international FIS gates (such as to Lufthansa), so American does not have exclusive leases in that concourse.

JetBlue used to operate out of Terminal D for example, but the airport moved them to Terminal A when the old American gates were vacated in Concourse A during the merger with US Airways. The airport told AA if they gave up those gates, they'd move JetBlue and Frontier out of Concourse D and into their old gates in Concourse A.

Edited November 2, 2016 by CLT2014

[cltbwimob]

^^^Plus I read somewhere that Via Air has an interline agreement with AA.  It would be hard to transfer pax from the GA terminal to the main terminal for connections.

[LKN704]

I believe that gate first few gates in E are common use as well (something like E1-E4).

4 hours ago, saamh said:

These "posters" are the same people that said Charlotte would be dehubbed and the service will be shifted to Miami... Granted that was mostly on airliners.net but you get my point

The three posters who brought it up were all from CLT, not MIA.

[KJHburg]

CLT American Airlines hub will not be de-hubbed for Miami. Miami is simply to far south and the landing fees are much higher than CLT's. It is much cheaper to operate a hub here. Miami is a great Latin America hub and I think will continue to be so as will Charlotte. 

[uptownliving]

American Airlines revenue from Summer '16 European flights were down 11% from Summer '15. The big question is if that trend will continue. If it does they will be making more cuts across all the hubs...not just Charlotte. A place to keep an eye on is Latin America which has shown revenue growth lead by Brazil and Mexico. Personally I am not expecting any growth from CLT to Europe in the short term. Let's just pray that as the A330-300 are phased out that we NEVER see the 767-300 flown on long haul routes from CLT. Those 767's are some of the worst long haul planes to fly on.

[CLT704]

I wouldn't surprised to see GRU restarted in next couple of years, IF the Brazilian economy continues to recover. 

My thought is that all remains status quo for economies and travel demand, then we have seen all the cuts to Euro CLT flying; if there is a downturn, then I expect some cuts with BCN and FCO going first. 

My flight attendant friends say that the A333s are being replaced with 777-200s. 

Edited November 2, 2016 by CLT704

[LKN704]

772s with the CIP will be taking over A333s on CLT-LHR most likely by next fall. A332s will remain on CLT-FRA.

[CLT704]

The only other A333 route from CLT, apart from LHR, is FCO. 772 may be too many premium seats so A332?

[Miesian Corners]

787s are replacing 767-300s. Anyway, I don't see any European service being discontinued, unless the economy tanks. All AA hubs saw a decrease in European traffic due to softening European demand.

That said, God only knows what a Trump presidency will do to the global economy. <<shudder>>

[ChessieCat]

CLT made it into the The 10 Best Airports in the US:

https://thepointsguy.com/2016/11/best-and-worst-airports-usa-2016/

“Charlotte Douglas, on the other hand, has the lowest number of per capita restaurants, but excellent marks when it comes to flights leaving on time and not being cancelled, and solid accessibility — helping it reach No. 8 on our list.”

There's no way AA will give up its most profitable fortress hub due to CLT's low fees and excellent geographic location for connecting northeastern/midwestern passengers with the rest of the country.

Edited November 3, 2016 by ChessieCat

[CLT704]

Anyone getting annoyed at the price of AA tickets from Charlotte? I know it's thats the price (literally) for having a fortress hub, but still. I've flown CLT-LON regularly for the past 14 years (maybe 15 times a year) and I've put up with the ticket price for the miles mainly, but I've just found Delta tickets flying CLT-ATL-LHR-ATL-CLT for $948, in comparison to AA  wanting approx. $1450 for the non-stop. It's utterly ridiculous the price difference between the non-stop and the connecting. 

EDIT- For the dates I'm flying Delta for $948, American wants $1800 for the non-stop roundtrip!! 

Edited November 6, 2016 by CLT704
Spelling/Price Change

[15895]

12 minutes ago, CLT704 said:

Anyone getting annoyed at the price of AA tickets from Charlotte? I know it's thats the price (literally) for having a fortress hub, but still. I've flown CLT-LON regularly for the past 14 years (maybe 15 times a year) and I've put up with the ticket price for the miles mainly, but I've just found Delta tickets flying CLT-ATL-LHR-ATL-CLT for $948, in comparison to AA wanted approx. $1450 for the non-stop. It's utterly ridiculous the price difference between the non-stop and the connecting. 

For South America, Charlotte is a way too expensive for me.

To Santiago, Chile it's like $400 from DC. Charlotte $1300.

 

To any Brazilian city, its around $900 from DC and 1500$ from CLT. 

 

I take Delta from DC for my trips to SA. Particularly their A330's. The 767's suck.

 

Edited November 6, 2016 by AirNostrumMAD

[ssh214]

I had a meeting in Cherokee last week, I was in Miami, I flew to Atlanta instead of Charlotte like I normally would and the difference between the tickets were unbelievable... $113 nonstop Roundtrip on American Airlines to Atlanta vs. $650 nonstop Roundtrip to Charlotte on American. Only American Airlines flies between Charlotte and the Miami area (Allegiant flies from Concord to Fort Lauderdale but I refuse to fly with them). JetBlue needs to start flights to Fort Lauderdale from Charlotte. For a small company like ours we don't get the corporate discounts like the banks would get out of Charlotte, we have honestly been considering moving the company out of Charlotte in large part because of the inconvenience of travel. Whenever I fly to Charlotte, which is about once a month, I either have to pay a ridiculous amount of money to fly straight into Charlotte or fly into Raleigh and take the train to Charlotte (I just discovered how cheap Atlanta is from Miami so I will be looking into this option more often).

Edited November 6, 2016 by saamh