Charlotte airport renovation projects expected to impact summer travel

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Right now, you may be already be in the early stages of planning upcoming trips and summer vacations.

If you live in Charlotte and are planning to travel by air, you’ll likely be going through Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, where you’ll quickly notice a lot of activity.

Like much of Charlotte, the airport is expanding.

The Terminal Lobby Expansion is nearly halfway complete and remains on target to be finished in Fall 2025.

Construction has entered Phase 3 in what’s a six-phase plan.

The lobby expansion project began in December 2019, and is expected to cost more than $600 million. It will increase the current terminal lobby space by 175,000 square feet, and will renovate another 191,000 square feet to enhance the passenger experience.

One notable change coming in the next two years is a massive steal canopy that will create a layer of shade for every arrival at the airport.

This undertaking is the signature project for “Destination Charlotte,” the airport’s $3 billion capital investment in capacity enhancement projects.

Improvements will include condensing the airport’s five security checkpoints into three larger checkpoints, with greater capacity to process passengers faster through security.

The renovations aren’t coming without interference though.

First up is Checkpoint B, set to close March 17 for expansion to include six Automated Screening Lanes and two standard lanes.

In order to make these renovations possible, pinches in the heavy summer travel season are to be expected.

To help make your upcoming travel plans less stressful, Charlotte-Douglas is recommending you follow these tips:

• Plan ahead.
• Consider booking your parking when you book your flight. You can do that by visiting parkcharlotte.com or the airport app.
• Consider signing up for TSA PreCheck.

Airport officials also encourage flyers to arrive with plenty of time. They recommend arriving two hours prior to domestic departures, and three hours prior to international flights.

Related: Report: CLT Airport 10th most on-time global airport

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