After YEARS of flying LGW-PHL direct, I have finally scheduled a flight with a connection in Charlotte. I'll be on 1495 from London, ETA Charlotte 3:40, then flying CLT-PHL on flight 1706, ETD 5:25 PM. From my search on this it sounds like I have more than enough connection time (yes, I just knocked wood) but all the info I found was over a year old. I've never been to Charlotte so any advice on what to expect there with customs, gate distances, clubs, etc. would be most appreciated.

After YEARS of flying LGW-PHL direct, I have finally scheduled a flight with a connection in Charlotte. I'll be on 1495 from London, ETA Charlotte 3:40, then flying CLT-PHL on flight 1706, ETD 5:25 PM. From my search on this it sounds like I have more than enough connection time (yes, I just knocked wood) but all the info I found was over a year old. I've never been to Charlotte so any advice on what to expect there with customs, gate distances, clubs, etc. would be most appreciated.

Charlotte is very compact and manageable compared to PHL. You will arrive in Terminal D, clear Customs and Immigration (not too bad, depending on timeliness of other inbound international flights). CLT has a fairly small Immigration mission (1 US A330 from LGW, 1 US A330 from FRA, 1 LH A340 from MUC, and several US caribbean aircraft).

There is one large US club between Term. D&E and the rest of the airport. It is a very user friendly airport. The food court is fairly good, and there are several nice places to chill out in the main terminal. They have rocking chairs, a piano bar at night, and all in all it is a very open and airy airport.

Consider yourself lucky you are going to Charlotte. Comparing PHL to CLT is like comparing Kansas City to Kansai :D

I will never, ever, connect internationally through Philadelphia again. It really, truly, sucks. :td:

Now do you want to know how I really feel?

The previous poster has said all you need to know about Charlotte. It's a lovely airport to connect in, nice and compact, and the staff there are full of Southern hospitality. Last time i was there, I missed my connection and a lovely off-duty US Airways FA heard me and my partner discussing where we should stay. She made a call on her mobile and before we knew it, we were on a free shuttle with the US Airways pilots to a lovely hotel, and it was very reasonable. I have nothing but praise for CLT.. a different world from PHL... even if you are stuck there a while, there are rocking chairs, a piano bar... so civilised! It's how air travel used to be and still should be!

I transfer in Charlotte every Thursday afternoon. I really have to admit I sometimes really enjoy myself. There's a lovely wine bar in the corridor leading to concourses D and E. Also, don't miss the rocking chairs and the piano bar.

Connections are never difficult and there are moving carts aplenty.

CLT and PHL are two different worlds in every way.

Consider yourself lucky you are going to Charlotte. Comparing PHL to CLT is like comparing Kansas City to Kansai


What's wrong with Kansas City?
http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/english/index.htm

Yes, CLT probably is the easiest to use hub airport going. It's compact enough that even if connecting between D and E concourses, it's perfectly reasonable to stop down B for a bite at the California Pizza Kitchen Express. The food court area is in the hub between the concourses and very airy. The Club is nice and very spacious (though some spots were looking worn on my last visit).

The only complaints I've really had have been with international arrivals. One trip the baggage crew that works the A330s didn't realize there had been a "time change" at the end of daylight savings time and we had to wait an hour for our bags. On a more recent trip, passport control was just very slow (at least half an hour).

Consider yourself lucky you are going to Charlotte. Comparing PHL to CLT is like comparing Kansas City to Kansai :D

I will never, ever, connect internationally through Philadelphia again. It really, truly, sucks. :td:

Now do you want to know how I really feel?

If you read the orginators post, he/she has flown LGW-PHL many times and doesn't really need the rant of a single experience. Comparing PHL to either MCI or KIX implies to me that you have been to neither. If you intend it to be interpreted as comparing a medium size easy to navigate airport (CLT) to a large, complex airport (PHL), I agree - but I doubt you do. Regardless, the originator is obviously very familiar and experienced with international services through PHL - he's soliciting experiences about CLT.

Many thanks to all for the informative posts. I had heard so many good reports about Charlotte in the past I just had to see for myself what it was all about. I know Philly gets a lot of bad press, but my only contact there of late has been A-West with no connecting flights so all my myriad experiences have been basically great, with the exception of the occasional luggage delay and more than occasional surly airport or US employee. One of these days I really must take a hike at PHL (beyond the foot court/shopping area) and see what the rest of the airport is like, why it generates such heated dislike.

Even though connecting increases my journey by four hours I'm really looking forward to this trip! I hope to get upgraded on my domestic leg to see what first class is all about too, but I don't know how busy a flight CLT-PHL is/what my chances are as a lowly Gold.

Cheers
A grateful female ;)

If you read the orginators post, he/she has flown LGW-PHL many times and doesn't really need the rant of a single experience. Comparing PHL to either MCI or KIX implies to me that you have been to neither. If you intend it to be interpreted as comparing a medium size easy to navigate airport (CLT) to a large, complex airport (PHL), I agree - but I doubt you do. Regardless, the originator is obviously very familiar and experienced with international services through PHL - he's soliciting experiences about CLT.


Lighten up. I was making a general comparison, aesthically speaking, between the two and how much nice CLT is to the eye. :rolleyes:

I have had flights scheduled twice to PHL via CLT from Gatwick. Both times when I checked in with the US counter, they had already rerouted me onto the PHL non-stop flight to save me time. Also was upgraded to Envoy both times, so besides losing a few miles, I was a happy camper. ^

Charlotte is very compact and manageable compared to PHL. You will arrive in Terminal D, clear Customs and Immigration (not too bad, depending on timeliness of other inbound international flights). CLT has a fairly small Immigration mission (1 US A330 from LGW, 1 US A330 from FRA, 1 LH A340 from MUC, and several US caribbean aircraft).


CLT terminal D arrivals are quite nice compared to PHL connections; however US1495 (LGW-CLT) and US1593 (FRA-CLT) are scheduled to arrive within 5 minutes of each other; this can make immigration quite painful. The last FRA-CLT-PIT connection I made arrived exactly at the same time as the LGW flight and it was a good 45 minutes in the immigration lineup... this was also on quite lightly loaded flights in February (the OP didn't mention the time of year for their flight).

That being said, my connecting flight left 1 hour 30 minutes later, and I made it to the gate with enough time to spare (including my trip to secondary customs inspection) to have to sit and listen to the "loud" (generous term!) Steeler fans with their superbowl win fresh in their minds!!

I have had flights scheduled twice to PHL via CLT from Gatwick. Both times when I checked in with the US counter, they had already rerouted me onto the PHL non-stop flight to save me time. Also was upgraded to Envoy both times, so besides losing a few miles, I was a happy camper. ^


Hmmmm- I wonder if the re-route can be refused? I really want to see Charlotte. And if US reroutes you, why should you lose miles?

CLT terminal D arrivals are quite nice compared to PHL connections; however US1495 (LGW-CLT) and US1593 (FRA-CLT) are scheduled to arrive within 5 minutes of each other; this can make immigration quite painful. The last FRA-CLT-PIT connection I made arrived exactly at the same time as the LGW flight and it was a good 45 minutes in the immigration lineup... this was also on quite lightly loaded flights in February (the OP didn't mention the time of year for their flight).

That being said, my connecting flight left 1 hour 30 minutes later, and I made it to the gate with enough time to spare (including my trip to secondary customs inspection) to have to sit and listen to the "loud" (generous term!) Steeler fans with their superbowl win fresh in their minds!!

On my last flight in from FRA, I think the only other Int'l arrival was the flight from Jamaica. Needless to say, the arrival piece was fairly pain free. My bag did end up coming out on the other conveyor belt for some reason, though, so after waiting until the Frankfurt carosel stopped, the attendants noticed that several bags, mine included, were on the other belt. Thankfully the customs line was almost non-existant by then.

I haven't flown into PHL internationally in so long, I don't even remember what it was like.