Traveling over Thanksgiving? Here’s what Charlotte airport officials say you can expect
Thanksgiving travelers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport should expect to see crowds this week — especially compared to last year’s travel season.
In fact, CLT expects to see nearly double the number of last year’s passengers starting their trips from Charlotte this year.
On the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving next week, CLT expects to see 30,000 to 31,000 daily passengers starting their travel at the airport, compared to roughly 17,000 passengers on those days last year.
And the airport is nearly on par for pre-pandemic Thanksgiving travel. Its busiest day is expected to be the Sunday following Thanksgiving, with 35,000 local passengers, compared to 38,000 in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic hit, airport chief operating officer Jack Christine told reporters Tuesday.
And officials also expect to average 50,000 daily passengers connecting through the airport over the holiday season.
“We’re not too very far off from where we were prior to COVID,” Christine said. “… The terminal and all of our facilities are going to be very busy.”
Here’s what airport officials want you to know ahead of holiday travel.
Come early and be prepared
Passengers should get to the airport two hours before their departure, Christine said.
And travelers should download the airport’s app and check the website ahead of time, he said.
The airport’s website and app includes tools like online booking for parking at discounted rates and a real-time look at security checkpoint wait times.
The airport has about 21,000 public parking spaces. Most of those spots will be filled by Thanksgiving Thursday, Christine said. So it’s important to book ahead. If booking online, customers must book parking at least 12 hours before arrival, he added.
Most concession stores at the airport are open and will be operating throughout the travel period and on Thanksgiving Day, Christine said.
And both Brookwood Farms BBQ and PZA will offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, including turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans and stuffing, he added.
“So if you’re in the terminal on Thanksgiving Day, and you haven’t gotten to to your loved ones yet and you need a Thanksgiving fixing — we can help you with that,” Christine said.
Wear a mask — it’s required
Masks are required inside the airport under federal requirements, Christine said.
“There are a lot of folks coming through the building want to make sure we keep everybody safe,” he said. “And wearing masks is one of the ways we can do that.”
Travelers may remove their mask if actively eating or drinking, but are otherwise expected to keep masks on.
That federal rule stays in place even if the local Mecklenburg County mask mandate is dropped, he said.
Pack smart for travel
Transportation Security Administration officials have already found a record number of guns at Charlotte airport security checkpoints, TSA spokesman Mark Howell said Tuesday.
TSA agents have found 95 firearms in carry-on bags at the Charlotte airport so far this year — surpassing the previous record of 76 in 2018, he said.
That’s close to double the 55 firearms found last year, Howell said. So passengers should double-check their bags before going through checkpoints, he said.
Other prohibited items, like liquids exceeding 3.4 ounces, can also slow down checkpoint lines.
Be kind to workers, passengers
Airlines have reported a record number of incidents involving unruly passengers and even assaults on airline employees, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesman Capt. Nate King said Tuesday.
In fact, the Federal Aviation Administration has received more than 5,000 reports of unruly passengers this year and has initiated 973 investigations, compared to 183 investigations in 2020 and 146 in 2019.
“Be a good citizen,” King said. “Be kind to your fellow man and be the example instead of being the problem.”
King said many incidents reported by airlines involve passengers drinking too much alcohol. So travelers should monitor their alcohol intake, he said.
“Be aware that any disturbances that you cause or are involved in at the airport not only affect your travel plans, but they affect all the travel plans of people around you,” he said.
This story was originally published November 16, 2021 at 1:57 PM with the headline "Traveling over Thanksgiving? Here’s what Charlotte airport officials say you can expect."
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