Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) is expecting large crowds through next week as passengers begin heading home for the holidays. Airlines report flights will be at near capacity. For a stress-free experience, CLT suggests travelers plan ahead, be prepared and arrive early for their flights.
The majority of passengers are expected to depart on Friday and return home from their holiday destinations on Thursday, Dec. 26 and Friday, Dec. 27. Security checkpoints are scheduled to open at 4 a.m. Ticket counters will begin greeting customers between 4:30 and 4:45 a.m. Passengers, as a reminder, should check with their airlines for any weather related questions.
Parking will be in high demand through Thursday, Dec. 26. Variable message signs will be placed strategically around the airport to direct customers to open parking lots. Dynamic signs will also inform passengers which lots are open or closed. Visit parking.charlotteairport.com for lot locations and costs.
Drivers picking up and dropping off passengers are asked to use CLT’s free Kiss and Fly lot off Harlee Avenue. The new lot allows drivers to avoid terminal area roadways, which can become congested during peak times. Click here for a map.
Other options available to drivers picking up passengers include short-term parking in one of two Cell Phone lots or at the Overlook. Both Cell Phone lots are located off Rental Car Road. The Overlook (located on Airport Overlook Drive off Old Dowd Road) is open from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. daily.
Other useful tools to help passengers be prepared and plan ahead for their trip are listed below:
• Visit parking.charlotteairport.com and view CLT’s real-time parking map.
• Call 704-359-5555 to hear the latest parking conditions.
• Pay attention to and follow CLT’s dynamic roadway signs strategically located around Charlotte Douglas for information on which lots are open or closed.
• When parking, keep your parking ticket with you.
Travelers should also consider other travel options for arriving at that airport, including:
• Carpooling
• Catching a ride to the terminal
• Taking a taxi
• Riding the CATS Sprinter bus (Route 5 – Airport)
To accommodate holiday travel demands, CLT has:
• Reopened previous roadway closures on Airport Loop Road to Rental Car Road
• Stationed traffic control officers in front of the terminal and other roadway locations as needed to assist with traffic flow
• Added more CLT shuttle buses in rotation and increased the number of drivers that will be on hand
• Opened a second cell phone lot with 120 spaces to assist drivers picking up returning passengers, the lot opened earlier this year
• Additional aviation department, TSA and airline staff in the lobby to assist customers
Holiday travel tips:
• View TSA’s travel tips.
For up-to-date parking conditions and prices, call 704-359-5555 or visit parking.charlotteairport.com.
• Get dropped off at the airport, carpool, ride CATS or use one of the many taxi and ground transportation companies serving the airport.
• Visitors picking up family or friends are encouraged to use CLT’s free Kiss and Fly lot on Harlee Avenue, one of two Cell Phone lots off Rental Car Road or the Overlook (located on Airport Overlook Drive off Old Dowd Road).
• Drivers picking up passengers can also take advantage of short term parking in all of the parking lots and garages (excluding Business and Curbside Valet). Free for the first 20 minutes, visitors can choose to park and help their arriving parties to the terminal or to pick them up in person.
• Passengers can be picked up and dropped off along the terminal’s curbside, however, vehicles cannot be left unattended. Curbside parking is not allowed and unattended vehicles may be towed. This includes all lanes on the ticketing and baggage claim levels.
• Check with your airline for updated flight information, as well as baggage size and weight rules. Additional fees could be applicable.
Departing passenger tips:
• Passengers are advised to arrive early for their flights. When traveling with young children, infants, elderly or disabled passengers, allow for even more time.
• Save time by printing boarding passes at home or use mobile boarding passes.
• Obtain specific information about Charlotte Douglas International Airport by visiting cltairport.com or by calling the airport’s automated phone information line at 704-359-4910.
• Contact your airline for updated flight information.
Follow CLT’s Twitter feed (@CLTAirport) for the most up-to-date parking tips, and visit parking.charlotteairport.com for a complete list of holiday parking and travel tips. For the latest airport news, link to newsroom.cltairport.com.