--- iata: CHS name: Charleston International Airport city: Charleston country: United States lastUpdated: '2026-09-10' officialWebsite: 'https://www.iflychs.com/' sources: - 'https://www.iflychs.com/' - 'https://www.iflychs.com/passengers/dining-shopping/' - 'https://www.iflychs.com/passengers/amenities-lounge/' - 'https://www.iflychs.com/parking/' - 'https://www.iflychs.com/passengers/ground-transportation/' - 'https://www.iflychs.com/passengers/security-checkpoint/' - 'https://www.iflychs.com/passengers/accessibility/' - 'https://iflychs.com/nonstopdestinations/' - 'https://iflychs.com/business/statistics/' - 'https://iflychs.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Ops-Summary-DEC2025_508.pdf' - >- https://iflychs.com/charleston-international-airport-breaks-ground-on-major-west-gates-expansion-project/ - 'https://theclubairportlounges.com/lounges/chs-the-club-main-terminal' - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america/charleston-international-afb/chs-the-club-chs - 'https://ridecarta.com/fares-passes/' - 'https://ridecarta.com/transit/route-11-dorchester-rd-airport/' - 'https://www.airnav.com/airport/KCHS' - 'https://www.clearme.com/where-to-use-clear' quickFacts: - >- One civil terminal in North Charleston: landside Central Hall, then one TSA checkpoint into Central Marketplace and Concourses A and B. Official dining pins Charleston Beer Works on A and DeSano / Commonhouse on B. - >- 6,341,145 passengers in calendar 2025 (official CRAA Ops Summary: 3,167,903 enplaned + 3,173,242 deplaned; 131,842 operations). +0.7% vs 6,295,439 in 2024. Operator Charleston Regional Aviation Authority. Site https://www.iflychs.com/ - >- 5500 International Blvd. #101, North Charleston, SC 29418-6911 — AirNav 9 mi NW of Charleston. ICAO KCHS. Elev 46 ft / 14 m. RWY 15/33 9,001 × 150; RWY 03/21 7,000 × 150. Phone (843) 767-7000. - >- Live official airline cards (10 Sep 2026): Air Canada (seasonal), Alaska, Allegiant, American, Avelo (seasonal), Breeze, Delta, jetBlue, Southwest, Sun Country (seasonal), United. Homepage Check n' Go still names Spirit — Spirit ceased 2 May 2026. BermudAir launched Apr 2025 and later dropped CHS; it is not on the live destinations page. - >- The Club CHS is the only passenger lounge — airside toward Concourse B, 04:10–20:30 daily. Live Priority Pass + LoungeKey. Official day pass $60 / AAA $51. Outbound boarding pass only (SC law). No Sky Club, Admirals Club, United Club, or Centurion. - >- One main TSA checkpoint 03:30–21:30 or last departure. PreCheck yes (live wait 5 min on 9 Sep 2026 vs 11 min Standard). Touchless ID for Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United. CLEAR is not on CLEAR's location list. Official arrival window: 90 minutes to two hours. bentoTips: - label: Timing title: Official window is 90 minutes to two hours detail: >- A delayed inbound still has to beat checkpoint close. After TSA shuts there is no reclear until 03:30. Boarding typically starts 30–45 minutes prior. Do not use the domestic window on Breeze Cancún — treat that Saturday as an international departure. summary: >- TSA opens 03:30 and runs to 21:30 or the last departing flight. Official hourly forecast on 9 Sep 2026 stayed under 15 minutes all day — the 06:00 bank was the peak at 12 minutes. category: timing - label: Terminal title: 'One checkpoint, then pick A or B before you sit' detail: >- Check n' Go (amenities page): Alaska, American, Delta, jetBlue, Southwest, United at the curb or Daily Garage level 2. Homepage still lists Spirit — ignore it. Jet bridges are official; a lift is available if your aircraft is on a remote stand. summary: >- Wrong concourse is a walk through Central Marketplace, not a reclear. The Club, Chick-fil-A airside, and Concourse B sit west; Charleston Beer Works sits on A. category: terminal - label: Food title: Eat in Central Marketplace or on your concourse detail: >- Most kitchens run 05:00 until the last departing flight in that concourse. Harvest & Grounds and Veranda News are Central Hall landside and close at midnight. Caviar & Bananas / Eddie Bauer directions on old lounge blogs are stale. summary: >- Official live list: Kardea Brown's Southern Kitchen, Ashley Cooper Provisions, Verde, Burger King, Cinnabon, and Starbucks in Central Marketplace; Chick-fil-A airside and landside; Charleston Beer Works on A; DeSano and Commonhouse on B. category: food - label: Status title: 'Pre-book The Club; it dies at 20:30' detail: >- Live Priority Pass: 3rd floor via lift, walk toward Concourse B, left across from the food court. The Club's own page says second level toward B — follow the Airport Lounge signs and the elevator. Arrivals are not admitted. A 21:00 departure has no lounge. summary: >- Priority Pass (pre-book listed) or LoungeKey, outbound boarding pass, entry from 3 hours prior. Official day pass $60 / AAA $51. Children under 2 free. Concierge (843) 619-3832. category: status lounges: - name: The Club CHS zone: Airside hours: '04:10–20:30 daily' access: - Priority Pass (pre-book available; outbound CHS boarding pass required) - LoungeKey - Day pass $60 / AAA $51 bestFor: - 'Priority Pass or LoungeKey holders departing before 20:30' - Anyone paying $60 for a quiet seat on a Concourse B departure - 'Early 04:10 bank when the rest of the marketplace is still spinning up' summary: >- The airport's only passenger lounge — 4,400 sq ft, official capacity 100, airside toward Concourse B. Live Priority Pass 04:10–20:30. Outbound only. Not an airline club. verdict: worth-it terminal: 'Main terminal, toward Concourse B' amenities: - Complimentary seasonal food and standard bar (21+) - Order from your seat - Wi-Fi - Work / quiet zones and runway views - Fruit-infused hydration station - Wheelchair accessible waterOptions: - kind: purchase name: Flight Ready Market zone: airside price: ~$3–4 for a sealed bottle summary: >- Official Delaware North market. Earliest reliable sealed bottle after TSA if you emptied at the checkpoint. Official amenities page does not map bottle fillers. location: >- Airside grab-and-go opposite the Central Marketplace restaurants, self-checkout, official pin 04:00 to last departure terminal: Central Marketplace isBestValue: true - kind: purchase name: Hudson – Discover Charleston zone: airside price: ~$3–4 for a sealed bottle summary: >- Walkable once you have already committed to A or B. Same official hours as Flight Ready. location: >- Official Hudson newsstands on both concourses, 04:00 to last departing flight terminal: Concourse A or Concourse B - kind: purchase name: Dunkin' (Concourse A or B) zone: airside price: ~$3–4 for a sealed bottle summary: >- Hot coffee plus a sealed bottle if the newsstand line is longer than the doughnut line. location: >- Official Dunkin pins on Concourse A and Concourse B, 05:00 to last departing flight terminal: Concourse A or Concourse B isBestQuality: true - kind: purchase name: Harvest & Grounds zone: landside price: ~$3–4 for a sealed bottle summary: >- Only if you still have a bottle to empty at TSA. Do not buy landside water you intend to carry through the checkpoint. location: >- Landside Central Hall bakery/café, official hours 05:00–00:00, King Bean coffee terminal: Central Hall airportistScore: 7.3 slug: chs region: North America --- > Markdown for [/airports/chs](/airports/chs). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy. - [HTML page](/airports/chs) - [Lounge directory](/airports/chs/lounges.md) - [Sitemap](/sitemap.md) # Charleston International Airport (CHS) Charleston, United States · North America A genuinely easy Lowcountry alternative to ATL or CLT — one checkpoint, a real Priority Pass lounge, $13 economy parking, and a $2 CARTA bus — undone by a 20:30 lounge close, no rail, and a West Gates job that is still in the ground. ## Airportist Score **7.3 / 10** Weighted sum of the six published categories (no holistic fudge). - Ease of use (25%): 8.1 — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout. - Comfort & amenities (20%): 7.3 — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet. - Food & retail (15%): 7.3 — Food and retail quality and variety. - Ground access (15%): 7.2 — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city. - Reliability (15%): 6.6 — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience. - Lounges (10%): 6.8 — Worth-it density and access quality. ## At a glance - Passengers: 6.34M (2025) - Terminals: 1 terminal, Concourses A and B - Typical security: 10 min - On-time: 75% - Disruption: minor ## Best for - Priority Pass / LoungeKey holders departing before 20:30 - Drivers who will actually use the $13 Economy Lot, not the $21 Hourly Garage for a week - PreCheck on the 06:00 bank (official forecast stayed under 15 minutes) - Anyone who will take CARTA Route 11 at $2 instead of a $17-minimum taxi ## Watch out for - The Club CHS closes 20:30 and admits outbound passengers only — a 21:00 Breeze has no lounge - CLEAR is not here; homepage Check n' Go still names Spirit, which ceased 2 May 2026 - West Gates ($105M, four gates + FIS, official substantial completion end of 2026) and a new parking garage are active construction - CARTA 11 is a local bus with many stops, not a 20-minute downtown flyer — budget 45–60 minutes - BermudAir is not a live CHS airline; Breeze Cancún is the scheduled international to treat as a real FIS departure ## More intel - [Lounge directory](/airports/chs/lounges.md) (free) - [Getting there](/airports/chs/getting-there.md) (free) - [Amenities](/airports/chs/amenities.md) - [Traveler tips](/airports/chs/tips.md) - [Water](/airports/chs/water.md) - [Full guide](/airports/chs/guide.md) - [Disruptions](/airports/chs/disruptions.md) - [Reviews](/airports/chs/reviews.md) (free)