CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) – Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is preparing for a busy holiday weekend as travelers head out for their final summer vacation.
From Thursday, August 29, to Wednesday, September 4, the airport expects a significant increase in local traffic, with an estimated 235,000 passengers passing through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. This represents a 15.8% increase compared to Labor Day weekend 2023.
According to a press release, CLT expects 1.14 million passengers in total, a 19% increase over the same period last year. The increase in passenger numbers at CLT is typical of a nationwide trend as airports and airlines reach record numbers this summer. The TSA is prepared to screen more than 17 million people nationwide during the holidays.
For a smoother trip, travelers should read CLT’s travel guide, Don’t Wing It, Prepare to Fly!
After Labor Day, CLT will implement two major changes as part of the Terminal Lobby Expansion (TLE) project:
- Beginning September 5, Checkpoint C will be closed for construction at Checkpoint 2 and TSA PreCheck will be relocated to Checkpoint A. Standard screening will continue at Checkpoints 1 and E (which will be renamed 3).
- Control point E will be renamed Control point 3. After the completion of the TLE project, there will be Control points 1, 2 and 3, which will have more lanes in total than in the previous configuration and will have improved equipment for more efficient control.
- In addition, 11 of American Airlines’ 24 new ticket counters will open, with the remaining counters scheduled to open in October. These counters will be located between doors 2 and 3 in the center of the terminal lobby.
Two pedestrian bridges were opened at the airport in July.
The TLE is in phase five of six and is scheduled for completion in 2025. It transforms the terminal, built in 1982, to accommodate 2.8 million travelers per year. In 2023, passenger traffic at CLT reached a record 53.4 million. Of the 26.7 million passengers departing from CLT, 8.3 million (31%) used the terminal lobby.
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