Charlotte Douglas International Airport is gearing up for a busy Fourth of July holiday weekend, with record-breaking passenger numbers expected to surpass 2023 totals. This comes after CLT has repeatedly broken records for local passenger traffic earlier this spring and summer.
From Tuesday, July 2, through Monday, July 8, the Airport is expecting approximately 191,000 local passengers departing Charlotte, a 15.6% uptick from the same period in 2023. In addition, CLT is forecasting a total passenger traffic of 1.18 million during this period, reflecting a 12% increase compared to last year.
CLT’s passenger increase mirrors the trend seen at other airports nationwide, with both airports and aircraft operating at full capacity this summer. The Transportation Security Administration recently announced it broke a single-day record Sunday, June 23 with nearly 3 million travelers screened at checkpoints.
The Airport encourages passengers Don’t Wing It, Prepare to Fly! Top travel tips include:
- Book your parking when you book your flight. To get the best spot at the best available rate, reserve parking at parkCLT.com or on the CLT Airport app. All parking products except Long Term 2 and Daily North are available for pre-booking. Hourly, Valet and Express Deck Preferred require a minimum three-hour lead time. The Daily Decks, Long Term 1 and Express Deck Self-Park do not require any lead time.
- Factor in extra time. Arrive at the Airport and be inside the terminal at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. During peak periods, drivers should familiarize themselves with current traffic conditions and seek alternate routes to the Airport.
- Download the CLT Airport app. Book parking, get flight information, check shuttle bus and security wait times, find a restaurant and even order food in advance to skip the lines.