Houston (IAH) to Charlotte (CLT)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

Houston (IAH) to Charlotte (CLT) is 911 miles in a straight line, about 2h 19m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 7 air traffic control facilities along the way.

911miles
792nautical miles
1,466kilometers
~2h 19mestimated flight time
+1 htime change on arrival
Northeastinitial heading

Who handles your flight

Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.

  1. IAHTowerHouston Bush Tower (IAH)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. I90TRACONHouston TRACON (I90)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZHUCenterHouston ARTCC (ZHU)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZFWCenterFort Worth ARTCC (ZFW)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZMECenterMemphis ARTCC (ZME)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZTLCenterAtlanta ARTCC (ZTL)Starts your descentThank them →
  7. CLTTowerCharlotte Douglas Tower (CLT)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Charlotte (CLT) to Houston (IAH)

CLT → ZTL → ZME → ZFW → ZHU → I90 → IAH

About the airports

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Houston, TX

Codes: IAH · KIAH

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Houston Bush Tower (IAH)

Thank the tower →

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Charlotte, NC

Codes: CLT · KCLT

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Charlotte Douglas Tower (CLT)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

How we figure this out

Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.

Say thanks to the controllers who got you there. It's free, takes 30 seconds, and every post is checked before it goes up.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from Houston (IAH) to Charlotte (CLT)?

About 2h 19m gate to gate for the 911-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.

How far is Houston (IAH) from Charlotte (CLT)?

911 miles (792 nautical miles, 1,466 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Houston (IAH) to Charlotte (CLT)?

Usually 7 facilities: Houston Bush Tower (IAH), Houston TRACON (I90), Houston ARTCC (ZHU), Fort Worth ARTCC (ZFW), Memphis ARTCC (ZME), Atlanta ARTCC (ZTL) and Charlotte Douglas Tower (CLT). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Houston (IAH) and Charlotte (CLT)?

Yes. Charlotte (CLT) is 1 hour ahead of Houston (IAH).

Updated October 2026

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