Charlotte Douglas International Airport is prepared for Christmas travelers to start arriving this weekend. Due to COVID-19, the numbers are considerably lower than last year, however, CLT will be busy in the coming days.
CLT is expecting 14,000 to 15,000 local passengers on each of the peak holiday travel days: Saturday, Dec. 19; Wednesday, Dec. 23; Saturday, Dec. 26 and Sunday, Dec. 27. Local passengers are those who begin their travels at CLT, using parking facilities and security checkpoints. In addition, the Airport will welcome 60,000 to 80,000 daily connecting passengers.
By comparison, last December’s peak travel days saw between 30,000 and 33,000 local passengers and more than 100,000 connecting passengers.
CLT will have smaller crowds for Christmas than Thanksgiving, which had 14,000 to 17,000 local passengers and approximately 80,000 connecting passengers on the busiest days.
As American Airlines’ second largest hub, Charlotte Douglas is more crowded than many other airports. To ensure a smooth traveling experience, passengers should plan ahead and arrive two hours before a domestic flight and three hours if traveling internationally to check in and clear security.
Book Parking Online
Local passengers are encouraged to book their parking online. Online booking is available for Curbside Valet, the Hourly Deck, Long Term Lot 1 and Daily West Deck.
Visit cltairport.com, and select the “Book Parking” icon in the middle of the homepage to complete the four-step process that provides a contactless parking experience. More than 1,000 bookings have been made online this month.
Booking lead times vary with a minimum of six hours for Curbside Valet. Same day booking options also are limited and not all products are available for every date and time. Prebook early for the best prices and options.
The Airport has transitioned to cashierless parking operations with no face-to-face contact. Drivers must pay for parking by credit card, using one of CLT’s pay-on-foot machines located in the Hourly and Daily decks or by booking ahead online.
With the launch of a new parking system, CLT has reopened Long-Term parking at $7 per day and has returned Hourly Deck to preCOVID-19 rates of $20 per day. The first hour in the Hourly Deck remains free.
Got Presents?
Check out TSA’s tips for flying with holiday gifts.
Safety Measures
Safety measures remain in place at CLT. For more information, view the CLT Travel Advisory.