CLT Airport Prepares for Spring Break Travel

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is gearing up for Spring Break travelers, with many local schools scheduled to begin their breaks starting the afternoon of Friday, April 11, and continuing through Sunday, April 27. Passenger volumes are expected to be down by 4.6% compared to last year’s record-breaking volume, with an estimated 2.9 million arriving and departing passengers this year. More than 592,000 local passengers are projected to pass through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints, which is a 3% decrease from 2024.

Peak days for total arriving and departing passengers are expected to be Friday, April 11, Sunday, April 13, and Sunday, April 27. Over 26,800 flights are expected during this period, which is slightly above last year’s totals.

"We encourage travelers to plan ahead, arrive early, and take advantage of the resources we’ve put in place to make their journey as smooth as possible,” said Jerome Woodard, Chief Operating Officer at CLT Airport.

The Airport recommends passengers to Don’t Wing It! Travelers should be inside the Terminal at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Flyers should also check security and shuttle bus wait times at cltairport.com or on the CLT Airport app.

Due to high demand, passengers are strongly encouraged to reserve parking online in advance. Of the Airport’s 25,000 parking spots, 15,000 are available for online booking. The Royalty Program allows travelers to earn rewards with points earned by booking CLT Airport parking online at parkCLT.com or on the CLT Airport app.

Charlotte Douglas introduced several updates to improve efficiency and convenience for travelers:

• TSA Checkpoint 2 – Opened March 24, improving security screening efficiency. It is the main screening location for TSA PreCheck® and flight crews. The launch of the new checkpoint completes the Airport's plan to consolidate five lettered checkpoints into three numbered ones, increasing the total number of screening lanes from 17 to 21. All concourses and aircraft gates are accessible from any security checkpoint.
• Rideshare staging - All rideshare services are now located on the inner lanes of the departures (upper) level for faster, easier access. Drivers in personal vehicles should continue using the outer lanes on both the upper and lower levels for drop off and pick up.
• Valet Parking – Valet passengers enjoy exclusive premium access to the terminal via a dedicated entrance on the east side of Level 1 in the Hourly Parking Deck.

CLT will have additional staff stationed in the terminal wearing bright yellow vests to assist travelers. Updates with any significant traffic and passenger impacts will be posted in real-time to the Airport’s social media accounts (@cltairport).

Follow @CLTairport on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. Download the free, all-in-one CLT Airport app at the App Store or on Google Play. Get the latest Airport news at cltairport.com/news or sign-up to receive CLT's electronic newsletters at cltairport.com/news/newsletters-sign-up. Multimedia galleries featuring images and videos are available with credit attributable to Charlotte Douglas International Airport.