What you have found is common--non-stop flights are more, even if the connecting flight is an additional flight on top of the non-stop! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Crazy.gif" alt="" />

With regard to just using the second part of the reservation, the answer is NO! If you don't make the first flight, the airline will consider you a no show and will cancel the reservation. Now technically you could get off the plane in Atlanta and not re-board for the last flight and there would be no repercussions, BUT I assume that would make no sense, as your car would be in Charlotte.

Carol Hill