CLT to Uptown Charlotte: Taxi, Rideshare and Bus Guide

A taxi is the simplest: a flat $32 to Uptown plus the $2.50 airport fee, so $34.50 in total. Rideshare is the other easy choice, and its price is set in the app. The CATS Sprinter bus is the budget option at $2.50 per ride, and it runs about every 30 minutes on weekdays. There is no train at the airport. A second bus, Route 60, connects to the Blue Line light rail at Tyvola Station.

Prices change, so check CLT's taxi page and the CATS site before you travel.

Taxis wait on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim level, outer curb, Zone 1. Service primarily runs daily from 5am to midnight and may be available at other hours.

Six companies work the airport queue: City Cab, Crown Cab, Green Cab, Yellow Cab, Orange Cab and Royal Cab. Approved taxis have a decal on the door. All major credit cards are accepted.

Standard fares from the airport:

• $32 flat rate to Uptown (within the I-277 loop)
• $16 flat rate within a 3 mile radius of CLT
• A $2.50 airport fee on all trips

Metered fares: $3.50 initial charge, $0.70 per 1/5 mile, and $0.70 per minute when stopped or in traffic. Extra fees may apply for more passengers or special services.

App-based rideshare pickup is on the Departures/Ticketing level (upper level), inner lanes, Zones 1 to 3.

CLT does not publish rideshare prices. The app shows your fare before you book.

CATS, the Charlotte Area Transit System, runs two bus routes to the airport.

Sprinter: runs between the Charlotte Transportation Center in Uptown and the airport, $2.50 per ride (checked October 9, 2026). It runs every 30 minutes on weekdays. CATS lists weekday service from 5:30 a.m. to 1:22 a.m., Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 1:22 a.m. and Sunday from 6:00 a.m. to 1:14 a.m. The same page also says the first bus leaves Uptown at 5:05 a.m., so check the schedule for your first trip. CATS gives no weekend frequency or travel time.

Route 60: connects the airport with the Blue Line light rail at Tyvola Station. It runs every 30 minutes, 7 days a week. The first trip is at 5:09 a.m., and the last trips from the airport leave at 11:45 p.m. on weekdays, 12:10 a.m. on Saturdays and 11:46 p.m. on Sundays.

Where to board: CLT's interactive map shows CATS Transit Buses on the terminal lower level, the Arrivals/Baggage Claim level. CATS does not describe the exact stop, so look for the signs there. Transfers to other CATS buses, the Blue Line and the Gold Line are possible. CATS service changes, so check the schedules at charlottenc.gov/CATS or call 704-336-7433 before you plan around a late trip.

All CATS fixed route buses are accessible under the ADA.

Courtesy vehicles run for select hotels and motels. To reach a participating hotel, use one of four Traveler Information Centers on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim level.

Limousines, limousine sedans and shuttle or van services are available only by pre-arrangement between you and the provider.

Uptown Charlotte is about 8 miles from the airport by road, about 16 minutes without traffic, according to a route calculated on OpenStreetMap data. Real trips take longer at rush hour.

CLT and CATS publish no drive or ride times to other neighborhoods such as South End or Ballantyne. Put your destination in a map app to see a time for the hour you travel.

Wheelchair-accessible taxis can be requested from the Parking Dispatch Office at 704-359-4038. A taxi attendant on the Arrivals level helps from 6:45 a.m. to 12:15 a.m.

Rental counters are in the Hourly Deck, in front of the terminal. See our CLT car rental page for pickup and return steps.