Known as the ‘Queen City’ due to being named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III. The city has a distinct character with plenty of history and numerous nicknames which reflect Charlotte’s roots, from ‘The Hornet’s Nest’ to ‘The City of Churches’.

You can get a feel for the history of the city through the many museums dotted around Charlotte, such as the Mint Museum which is housed in the original Charlotte Mint building which was built around the time of the nation’s first gold rush.

Charlotte isn’t just all about history, however. The city is the third-largest banking center in the USA having pioneered interstate banking in the 1980s, and now features the truly modern ‘Uptown’ area with a futuristic skyline of skyscrapers.

5 Things You Need to Know About Charlotte

When you land in Charlotte, there will plenty about the city for you to discover. Get a headstart and get to grips with some of the basics about the city before you leave. Here are just five of the key things to know before you go:

Time Difference: GMT -5 hours
Currency: US Dollar ($)
Native Language: English
Weather: Charlotte has very distinct seasons, so you can expect hot summers and cold winters. The city is in the path of the moisture coming up from the Gulf of Mexico so there is a fairly humid climate.
Sales Tax: 7.25%

Flying to Charlotte from the UK

There are a few pieces of key information that you should know about your journey before you fly to Charlotte. Here are just a few of the things that we think you should be aware of, including flight times, entry requirements, and airlines that fly to Charlotte.

Flight Times

Direct flights from London to Charlotte only take around nine hours, so you can get your holiday started in no time.

Entry Requirements

When you travel to Charlotte, you must make sure you have the proper authorisation. This will mean obtaining a visa if you are travelling on a British passport. You should make sure that your passport is valid for at least another six months from the time of travelling.

You can apply for the Visa Waiver Programme here, which you must complete at least 72 hours before you fly. This will allow for a visit of up to 90 days if you are a British citizen.

Airlines that Fly to Charlotte

If you’re looking to fly direct, you can choose from a number of airlines which offer direct flights. These include:

- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Finnair
- Iberia

The Airport

When you travel to Charlotte from the UK, you’ll land in Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

The airport is located not far from the city of Charlotte so you can get your holiday started as soon as possible, rather than spending hours trying travelling from the airport. In fact, you can get into the city in roughly 10-15 minutes if you’re driving and less than 30 minutes on public transport.

Popular Routes

As the state of North Carolina is on the east coast of the United States, you can find plenty of direct flights to Charlotte from the UK, depending on which airport you fly from.

10 Must-Do Things in Charlotte

There’s plenty to fill your time with when you are visiting Charlotte. In fact, you may struggle to find enough time to fit it all in! Here are just a few of our favourite things in Charlotte:

- Carowinds
- NASCAR Hall of Fame
- Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
- U.S. National Whitewater Center
- Discovery Place Science
- Freedom Park
- Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
- SEA LIFE Centre Charlotte
- Discovery Place Nature
- Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture

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