Airport officials project more than 7,900 flights will depart during the spring break travel season.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte Douglas International Airport expects more than 1.68 million passengers during the Spring Break travel period.
Airport officials project more than 7,900 flights will depart during the 11-day stretch. Peak travel days are Thursday, April 2; Friday, April 3; and Sunday, April 12.
Officials are urging travelers to arrive early, as a partial government shutdown may affect TSA staffing and extend security wait times.
CLT Airport said it would close its gift card donation program for local TSA employees on Monday, March 30, the airport announced on Sunday. This comes after President Donald Trump’s executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security to issue backpay to agency workers who have gone unpaid since the partial government shutdown began on Feb. 14.
While airports in Houston, New Orleans and other major cities saw security lines stretch to three hours or more, Charlotte Douglas managed to keep wait times relatively in check throughout much of the shutdown.
Estimated waits were under 10 minutes for most of the day on many weekdays, though times climbed to nearly an hour during peak evening travel, according to airport data. CLT was not among the airports where ICE officers were deployed to supplement understaffed TSA checkpoints, a TSA agent told WCNC Charlotte.
Travelers can reserve parking in advance at parkCLT.com.
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