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CLT Airport Welcomes Travelers for Thanksgiving Holiday

CHARLOTTE, NC – Charlotte Douglas International Airport is preparing for a busy travel period this Thanksgiving season — and a milestone one at that — the first Thanksgiving since CLT completed its $608-million Terminal Lobby Expansion Project. Local passengers will be welcomed with more space, a brighter, more seamless entry into the Airport, and expanded security checkpoints with additional lanes.

This Thanksgiving, Airport forecasts are predicting approximately 1.9 million passengers to arrive and depart between Thursday, Nov. 20, and Tuesday, Dec. 2 — roughly 10% below last year’s record-setting volume. Nearly 430,000 travelers are anticipated to move through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints, a 2.5% dip from 2024.

The busiest days are expected to be Saturday, Nov. 29, Sunday, Nov. 30, and Monday, Dec. 1. Each day is projected to see over 83,000 departing passengers, with Sunday, Nov. 30, anticipated to be the busiest, welcoming more than 178,000 total travelers. Overall, more than 9,000 aircraft departures are scheduled throughout this period. American Airlines and its regional partners will operate 80,759 scheduled flights across its network this Thanksgiving.

CLT officials continue to work closely with airline and federal partners, including TSA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to stay as informed and responsive as needed. To provide extra support, the Aviation Department will have additional staff wearing bright yellow vests to help guide and assist travelers. Updates with any significant traffic and passenger impacts will be posted in real-time to the Airport’s social media accounts (@cltairport).

Flyers are encouraged to plan ahead and review CLT’s Don’t Wing It, Prepare to Fly! guide for a smoother, stress-free journey. The guide includes information about the parking reservation Royalty Program, REAL ID, as well as food, beverage and retail offerings.

Passengers should reserve parking online in advance at parkCLT.com or on the CLT Airport app and arrive at their parking spot at least 30 minutes before their intended arrival time. Of the Airport’s 25,000 parking spots, 15,000 are available for online booking.

To ensure a smooth departure, plan to be inside the terminal at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. For real-time updates on security wait times and shuttle bus schedules, visit cltairport.com or the CLT Airport app.

New and Noteworthy

  • On Thanksgiving Day, enjoy a classic holiday meal at Brookwood Farms (Atrium) and PZA (Concourse E).
  • Renovations to Concourses D and E are ongoing. Concourse D is scheduled for completion in 2026, while Concourse E is on target to wrap up in 2027.
  • After more than five years of construction, 5 million man-hours involving 6,000 people, the Terminal Lobby Expansion is complete.

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.