Get to CLT airport early, airline says in new warning ahead of busy July 4th holiday
Fourth of July travelers should prepare for long lines and increased wait times at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport this holiday weekend, according to dominant carrier American Airlines.
In fact, passengers should plan to arrive at airport security checkpoints three hours early, instead of the usually suggested two hours, American told customers in an email this week.
The Charlotte airport echoed those concerns in a statement Wednesday, asking passengers for patience over the travel weekend.
“We are recovering much quicker than other airports nationwide,” Aviation Director Haley Gentry said in a statement. “Of course, it is great to see our passenger numbers growing, but throughout the country staffing challenges persist.”
The Charlotte airport expects to see its largest July 4th travel crowds on Thursday, Friday and Monday, with about 27,000 to 28,000 daily local passengers, according to the airport.
The airport will also see about 100,000 daily connecting passengers.
Those numbers are down from the Fourth of July 2019, when CLT saw 30,000 to 33,000 daily local passengers.
CLT airport is seeing more passengers
Airport passenger travel at the Charlotte airport has slowly recovered after seeing a deep dive in early 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In May, the most recent month of passenger data available, more than 2 million people boarded planes at CLT — a big increase from 499,000 people in May 2020, according to CLT numbers.
That also marks the first time the airport has reported more than 2 million passengers boarding planes in a single month since January 2020.
Still, May’s 2021 numbers are down from that month in 2019, when 2.2 million people boarded planes at CLT.
Here’s what Charlotte travelers should know before their trip to the airport this weekend.
Get to the airport early
In an email to customers ahead of the holiday travel, American Airlines said the U.S. Transportation Security Administration notified the airline that customers leaving CLT may have to wait longer than usual to clear security checkpoints due to the high number of expected travelers.
So passengers should arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight, American said.
Some passengers, including NASCAR driver Tommy Joe Martins, complained about wait times at TSA checkpoints at the Charlotte airport in June. Passengers said dozens of people missed flights due to the backed up checkpoints.
Charlotte travelers can view security checkpoint wait times online, using the airport’s online checkpoint tool.
Reserve parking ahead of time
Booking parking ahead of time can save travelers time and money at CLT. Discounts of up to 60% are available on the Charlotte airport’s website.
And travelers should be prepared for a hike in parking prices right after the holiday weekend.
Parking rates at all lots will increase starting July 6, but the curbside valet rate of $35 will remain the same. Here are the changes:
▪ The maximum daily charge for the hourly deck moves from $20 to $24, a 20% increase.
▪ The daily charge for the express deck goes from $14 to $16, a 14% hike.
Check your bags
One thing that can drive up wait times in security lines is the amount of baggage people bring onto planes, TSA spokesman Mark Howell told the Observer recently.
Checking a bag can help reduce wait times at security lines.
And if you don’t check a bag, passengers should search their carry-ons for prohibited items before heading to the airport.
For one: Any liquids in carry-on bags should follow the 3-1-1 rule. 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.
This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Get to CLT airport early, airline says in new warning ahead of busy July 4th holiday."
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