Little Rock’s Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport braces for the holiday surge: How to make your trip easier

Alex Kienlen
·3 min read

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas travelers taking to the skies over Christmas can expect bigger crowds at the airport.

Little Rock’s Bill and Hilary Clinton National Airport is preparing for a 12% increase in departing passengers through the New Year. Between Dec. 17 and Jan. 2, 2024, the airport expects 56,164 passengers, part of the millions traveling nationwide during the season.

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Airlines serving Little Rock encourage people to arrive at the airport two hours before departure. Airport officials said ticket counters will be open two hours before departure and TSA checkpoints open at 4 a.m.

Officials also offer tips to help the TSA screening process run as smoothly as possible:

  • Pack smart; start with empty bags. Passengers who begin with an empty bag while packing are less likely to bring prohibited items through the checkpoint. Use gift bags to prevent TSA officers from unwrapping presents if an item trips an alarm during security screening. Check for prohibited items by using the What Can I Bring page on TSA.gov or @AskTSA. Travelers can also text questions to 275872 or call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673.

  • Bring an acceptable ID and have it out in the screening lane. Before heading to the airport, travelers must ensure they have proper identification. Identity verification is an essential step in the security screening process. At Clinton National Airport, TSA may ask you to insert your physical ID into a Credential Authentication Technology, or CAT unit, where a boarding pass is unnecessary.

  • If you plan to travel with a firearm, you must properly pack it in a hard-sided, locked case in your checked bag and declare it with the airline at the ticket counter when checking in. Passengers are prohibited from packing firearms in carry-on luggage and bringing them to the airport security checkpoint and onboard aircraft. Carrying a firearm to a TSA checkpoint is expensive, time-consuming and can cause delays. The maximum civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA checkpoint is nearly $15,000. Additionally, it will result in the loss of TSA PreCheck eligibility for up to five years.

  • Travel easily with TSA PreCheck and ensure you have the TSA PreCheck mark on your boarding pass. TSA’s trusted traveler program now has more than 90 participating airlines and is available at more than 200 airports. Those enrolled enjoy the benefits of faster checkpoint screening. The five-year membership costs $78. After submitting an online application, applicants may schedule an appointment at the Clinton National Airport enrollment center. After a successful enrollment center visit, most new enrollees will receive their Known Traveler Number within three to five days. Members may renew their membership online for another five-year term for $70.

  • Most TSA PreCheck members wait less than five minutes at the checkpoint. Children 12 and younger may join TSA PreCheck family members in the TSA PreCheck screening lane. Children 13-17 may join enrolled adults in the dedicated lane when traveling on the same reservation and if the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the child’s boarding pass. TSA PreCheck passengers must ensure that their Known Traveler Number and correct birth date are in their airline reservation.

  • Call ahead to request if passenger support is needed. Travelers or families of passengers who need assistance may call the TSA Cares helpline at 855-787-2227 at least 72 hours before travel with any questions about screening procedures and to find out what to expect at the security checkpoint.

For a smooth process of picking up arriving passengers, Clinton National officials recommend using the no-charge cell phone parking loton East Roosevelt Road. The passenger calls from baggage claim and can be picked up a few minutes afterward.

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Airport officials also remind travelers that during the holiday rush it helps to be patient, if not thankful, in the holiday tradition. The surge in traffic creates extra work for people who administer the travel process, including TSA Agents and airline passenger support staff, and understanding is appreciated.

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