Thousands return to Charlotte airport for summer travel. Here’s how to avoid crowds
Recent long lines at Charlotte Douglas International Airport security checkpoints set off a flurry of online complaints, but federal officials say those crowds are here to stay.
Still, Transportation Security Administration officials offered some tips to help people avoid scenes like last Friday, where passengers say dozens missed flights due to backed up checkpoints. On Friday, 24,862 people went through security checkpoints at CLT, TSA spokesman Mark Howell told the Observer.
Those passengers included NASCAR driver Tommy Joe Martins, who griped about the wait online. “Congrats to @CLTAirport for the single biggest TSA checkpoint disaster I’ve ever seen this morning,” Martins vented in a string of tweets.
Passenger traffic took a deep dive in early 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic hit North Carolina, but as vaccination rates rise, people are returning to the airport. But now, the airport checkpoints are seeing 80% of pre-pandemic passenger numbers, Howell said.
“We’ve seen growth week-to-week since March,” he said. “It’s getting busier, especially as schools get out and people are trying to shake off cabin fever.”
As crowds return to the Charlotte airport, Howell said there are several things people can do to lessen wait times for everyone. Here are some of the best ways to avoid long lines at the airport:
Arrive two hours before your flight
Passengers flying out of CLT should arrive two hours before their flight’s scheduled departure time.
“What we mean by that is in the doors of the airport,” Howell said. “Not trying to find parking or sitting and waiting to get through the drop off lane, but actually inside.”
More and more people are taking advantage of summer vacation and the COVID-19 vaccines, he said. “People are trying to shake those cobwebs off and get out traveling.”
Take advantage of CLT’s online tools
In October, the Charlotte airport debuted an online tool that allows passengers to check security checkpoint wait times in real time.
Passengers can access the tool on CLT’s website or app.
The airport also launched an online parking tool last year. Passengers can book parking online ahead of time at discounted rates.
Passengers booking online parking must reserve a spot at least six hours before arriving at the airport.
Check those bags
Checking a bag at the airport can save time at security checkpoints, Howell said.
One of the things that is driving up wait times at security checkpoints is the amount of stuff people bring on the plane, Howell said.
On Friday, when CLT checkpoints saw 24,862 passengers, only 10,904 bags were checked, Howell said.
“That’s one way people can help, is checking their bags instead of bringing everything to the checkpoint,” he said.
Search your carry-on bag
If you don’t check a bag, passengers should make sure to search their carry-on bag for prohibited items before heading to the airport, Howell said.
And Howell pointed out another problem that slows the line at security checkpoints: when passengers try to bring over-sized liquids in their carry-on bag.
Any liquids in carry-on bags should follow the 3-1-1 rule, he said. That means liquids must be 3.4 ounces or smaller, and all liquid items must fit in one quart-sized resealable bag.
Bags that don’t follow that rule will be searched, Howell said, which can slow down processing screen times at checkpoints.
And people going through checkpoints should be ready ahead of time, with their ID and boarding pass out, he said.
Pay attention to TSA officers directing traffic
On Friday, peak checkpoint wait time at one checkpoint was around 45 minutes, Howell said. But at the same time, passengers were waiting in other airport checkpoints for around 25 minutes or less.
So Howell said it’s important to listen to TSA officers directing foot traffic to different checkpoints.
Sometimes passengers at CLT will try to get in line at checkpoints B, C and D, which may look less busy. But the larger checkpoints A and E — while they may have a larger line — could be processing passengers more quickly, he said.
“So if somebody asked you to come out and move to another queue, it might benefit you do to that,” he said.
TSA is also sending national deployment officers to CLT to help support the increase in passenger traffic, Howell said. And TSA is hiring in Charlotte, looking for 40 officers, he said. People can apply online at jobs.tsa.gov.
This story was originally published June 8, 2021 at 11:48 AM with the headline "Thousands return to Charlotte airport for summer travel. Here’s how to avoid crowds."
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