April 10, 2015

It’s been 18 months in the making. On Tuesday, April 14, Charleston International Airport will open its new addition to Concourse B.

Passengers flying American Airlines and US Airways will be among the first to experience the new boarding lounge, which is open and bright because of expansive floor- to-ceiling windows and a 6-foot clerestory that lets in light from above. The white décor – from the terrazzo floors to powered bar- and banquette-style seating – gives the room a fresh, open feel that passengers will enjoy as they wait to board their flights.

“We’re really excited to be opening the Concourse B extension. It is very different from what our passengers have been used to and we think they are really going to love it,” said Paul G. Campbell, Jr., director of airports for the Charleston County Aviation Authority.

The Concourse B extension adds 16,300 square feet of space and five gates to the airport footprint. There’s an additional 16,300 square feet underneath the concourse for airline offices.

In the coming weeks, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines will move into the new addition. The old portion of Concourse B will be renovated and renovation will start on Concourse A.  When the terminal redevelopment is complete at the end of 2015, CHS will have a total of 15 airline gates to serve a growing number of fliers. In 2014, CHS set an all-time record of 3.1 million passengers.

In a few weeks, DeSano Pizza Bakery, which has a downtown Charleston location, will open in the Concourse B addition. It will be the first of the airport’s new food and beverage concessions to open as part of the $189 million Terminal Redevelopment and Improvement Program (TRIP). New, larger restrooms have also been added.

“The renovation of the concourses and boarding lounges is going to transform the passenger experience at Charleston International,” Campbell said. “It’s going to be a great place to relax, shop, dine or do some work as passengers wait to board their flights.”

CHS provides passengers with access to 17 cities and 22 airports in the U.S. and Canada.  Airlines providing service from Charleston are Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, US Airways, Silver Airways and Porter Airlines.