A plane-spotting area featuring food trucks and a playground has been opened at this major U.S. airport; airline tickets are not needed

Thanks to a 600,000-square-foot plane-spotting area that recently opened, passengers in North Carolina now have an alternative method of seeing flights without going through security.

According to the airport, the lookout deck, which opened less than two miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), is free to the public and provides views over the terminal, cityscape, and airfield. It also has some pretty amazing family-friendly amenities with an airplane motif.

“The Airport knows how important the Overlook is to the local community and we worked diligently to create a place that people of all ages will enjoy,” CLT Chief Infrastructure Officer Jack Christine said in a statement. “This space showcases many displays and features that will educate, inspire and create lasting memories.”

Along with “informative exhibits” detailing aviation history in the Carolinas, such as the types of planes that use the airport, the science behind a Boeing 747 aircraft, and how runways are built and named, the deck also offers plane spotting and an airport-themed playground that includes a miniature version of an ATC tower with a slide and a climbing structure shaped like a plane. Additionally, there are covered picnic tables and a food truck area for hungry plane spotters.

More melancholyly, the location has a memorial to USAir Flight 1016, which, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), killed 37 people when it crashed into a private residence in 1994 while attempting to land at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The last overlook closed in 2022 due to airport development, therefore a temporary one was installed in its stead. This permanent lookout now stands in its place.

For the enjoyment of the whole family, the new overlook now has bicycle racks, baby changing stations, pet relieving spaces, and accessible parking.

The Charlotte Douglas International Airport is getting more than just this this year; by the end of 2024, the airport will have its own Delta Sky Club lounge.