Charlotte’s airport plans to launch traffic changes for winter holidays this week
Traffic improvements aimed at the winter holidays will begin this Thursday at Charlotte’s airport, since nobody wants a repeat of the hassles on the road that befell airport-bound travelers around Thanksgiving.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is expecting higher-than-normal crowds for the winter holidays and plans to make the drive to the terminals less of an headache than it was around Thanksgiving.
The airport expects 1.6 million local and connecting passengers to depart from CLT starting this Thursday and continuing through Jan. 3, officials said during a Tuesday news conference. For those 21 days, it’s a 13% increase from last year and 9% above 2019.
Jerome Woodard, airport chief operating officer, spoke about short- and long-term improvements starting Thursday.
One of the first steps is communicating with the public, which includes being more active on social media and partnering with the North Carolina and Charlotte transportation departments to provide real-time traffic updates.
“We’re trying to arm people with information so that they’re not as surprised when they get to the airport,” he told The Charlotte Observer.
Airport staff members will be sent to different positions to better facilitate vehicle and traffic flow on the roadways, terminal, and concourses. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers will be in spots to help with traffic flow as well, according to Woodard.
Traffic signals will be changed on Wilkinson Boulevard during this period of holiday activity and airport signs will show drivers how long it takes to reach the terminal.
Some of the shuttle bus routes will be adjusted so they’re not impacted by the traffic if backups are on Josh Birmingham Parkway.
“I hope for a better traffic performance on the roadway,” he said. “I think the changes that we’re implementing will help us in ensuring that. Ultimately, I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience of coming to the airport.”
The Charlotte airport also is looking at some long-term changes too.
The includes examining the airport’s inbound roadway system to account for recent increases in vehicle traffic and future growth. But the airport doesn’t have a timeline for those moves.
As usual, airport officials also are encouraging passengers to add more time to their schedule to avoid problems and to monitor road conditions.
Get to the airport early
Passengers should arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight, Airport officials stressed. Estimated wait times for security checkpoints are available on airport’s website and through the app.
Customers can book parking in advance online at parkCLT.com.
Problems along CLT roads during Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving travel period from Nov. 16 through the Monday after the holiday had 836,000 — less than the projected amount around 900,000. But Charlotte Douglas set an all-time record on the Sunday after Thanksgiving with 89,500 passengers, beating last year’s total of 75,634.
Travelers were aggravated by congested roads near the airport before and after Thanksgiving, the Charlotte Observer previously reported. People took to social media to express their frustrations about waiting an hour or getting out of vehicles to walk towards the front door from the side of the road.
