CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Douglas International Airport is preparing for what it expects to be another busy travel time during Labor Day weekend.

From Thursday, Sept. 1 to Monday, Sept. 5, according to the online travel agency and app Hopper, roughly 12.6 million people are scheduled to fly from airports across the U.S.

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Officials say about 315,000 of those passengers will fly to, through and from CLT, with the largest crowds expected Thursday and Friday.

Anyone traveling through the airports this holiday weekend are reminded to take some extra steps to help ensure everything goes smoothly.

• Arrive early: TSA recommends arriving at the airport check-in counter or security screening area no less than 2 hours before a domestic flight; No less than 3 hours if traveling internationally.
• Check for parking: CLT says passengers should use the CLT Airport app or click here to book official airport parking online and to guarantee the availability of preferred parking options and get the best rates. A real-time parking map can also be found here.

Charlotte Douglas has also provided the following information to help passengers navigate the terminals more easily on their travel day.

New to the Terminal

Approximately 90,000 square feet of the terminal lobby expansion’s west side debuted in July. When approaching the airport, door 2 on the arrivals/baggage claim level and doors 1 and 2 on departures/ticketing level are open. 

As passengers enter on either the terminal’s upper or lower levels on the west side, ticket counters, security checkpoints and luggage carousels are not immediately visible. Signage has been installed to point customers in the right direction.

New Concession Debuts

Last week, CommonSpace opened on the D/E connector, across from the plaza. The eatery offers craft cocktails along with locally roasted Counter Culture Coffee (a coffee brand founded in North Carolina). CommonSpace also sells locally baked pastries, scones and croissants (locally sourced from Neomonde Bakery in Morrisville, N.C.) in addition to fresh handmade sandwiches.

Stay Safe, Travel Safe

CLT safety measures remain in place with housekeeping and Airport staff regularly conducting daily cleanings and nightly deep cleanings in the Airport’s terminal and on buses. Click here for additional information. 

Face Masks Available

Face masks are no longer required at the Airport, but they are still available at the TSA checkpoint podiums, the airport information desk in ticketing and the visitor info center in baggage claim for those who want to wear one while traveling.

Check Security Wait Times

Travelers can see real-time security wait times at each checkpoint, including Standard and TSA PreCheck® lines on cltairport.com or on the airport app, which is available through the App Store or on Google Play. Wait times can change frequently. Remember to check often.

Aira On-Demand Visual Interpreting

Passengers who are blind or have low vision can access Aira, the visual interpreting service, for free while at CLT. The Aira app connects passengers with a live Aira agent who can visually interpret their surroundings via the user’s smartphone camera.

Please Be Patient

As a reminder, please be patient and courteous. Airport employees are working hard to make your travel experience simple, safe and enjoyable.