CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s about to be the most wonderful and also the busiest time of the year at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Channel 9 has put together a guide on what you need to know to avoid busy travel times and also what officers across the Charlotte area are doing to keep people safe.
Holiday Travel
The busiest travel days at the airport and on the roads are expected to be Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and Sunday.
More than 30,000 people are expected to go through Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wednesday in addition to the 100,000 passengers who will also be connecting through Charlotte. Airport officials estimate more than 31,000 flyers will go through Charlotte Douglas on Sunday.
Travel Info Links:
- Check Airport Parking Space Availability
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport Parking Map
- Flight Tracker
- Charlotte Douglas Thanksgiving Travel Numbers
- NCDOT Holiday Travel Information
The holiday travel season comes as construction crews shut down a road at the airport, which could cause some backups. The road that used to go to the Cellphone Lot will be closed to everyone but construction traffic.
[RELATED: Critical road at Charlotte’s airport shut down before Thanksgiving rush]
Airport officials relocated the Cellphone Lot to an area adjacent to Long-Term Parking Lot #1.
Officials hope brand-new bus lanes will help ease the backups in front of the terminal. They’re also hiring more security to keep traffic moving.
For people driving to their Thanksgiving destinations, the busiest travel days are expected to be Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
North Carolina Department of Transportation officials suspended construction on most interstate and construction projects to help ease any traffic congestion. The construction will be suspended from Tuesday morning until Monday night.
Thanksgiving-related stories:
- Thanksgiving 2017: The best and worst times to drive and fly this Thanksgiving
- Thanksgiving 2017: Alternative ways to spend the holiday
- Thanksgiving 2017 travel trends and tips
- Which grocery stores are open Thanksgiving?
- Which restaurants are open on Thanksgiving Day 2017?
- Black Friday 2017: 10 stores offering biggest Black Friday discounts this year
- Black Friday 2017: What to buy, what to avoid
- The best Cyber Monday 2017 deals on tech, clothing, home and more
Holiday Security
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police announced there will be extra security at malls during Black Friday shopping.
The department has a unique program in which recruits from the academy team up with officers Friday morning to make sure things go smoothly at malls while thousands of people shop.
“They’ll be working in three to four officer teams and they’re going to go around to individuals waiting to get into stores, talking to shoppers as they’re coming out and sharing best practices and tips,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Capt. Ryan Butler said.
CMPD also advised travelers to be patient while at the airport.
Officers warned there will be longer Transportation Security Administration lines. They recommend getting to the airport early.
Security Checkpoint Times for Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Monday:
- Checkpoint A: 3:30 a.m.
- Checkpoint B: 3:30 a.m.
- Checkpoint C: 5:15 a.m.
- Checkpoint D: 5 a.m.
- Checkpoint E: 6:15 a.m.
“TSA’s recommendation is to arrive two hours early. That’s being at the airport. We encourage you to leave earlier to account for travel time,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Lt. Will Farrell said.
CMPD reminded people to leave their guns at home. So far this year, TSA agents have found 58 guns in carry-on bags.
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