Travel Tips

Although you’ll find numerous travel tips throughout cltairport.com, we want to make it easier to plan ahead and have placed time-saving travel tips below.

Quick Links:

General Tips	Passenger Pick-up/Drop-off
Navigating to and from CLT	Security Tips
Parking Tips	Finding your way Inside CLT
Traveling with Pets and Service Animals	Traveling with Children

General Tips

All concourses and aircraft gates are accessible from any security checkpoint.
Check with your airline for up-to-date baggage size and weight rules. Additional fees could be applicable.
Save time by printing boarding passes at home or using mobile boarding passes.
Contact your airline before heading to the airport for...

The most current flight information, regardless of your final destination.
Wheelchairs, passenger loading lifts, and personal assistance throughout a connection or an ADA escort.
Escort assistance for a minor. Additionally, if you are meeting a child requiring assistance at the gate, you must contact your airline in advance to make arrangements.

Handicap parking is available in all CLT lots and accessible shuttles run continuously.
Obtain specific information about Charlotte Douglas International Airport while on-the-go by calling the Airport’s automated phone information at 704-359-4910.

Navigating to and From CLT

Expect congestion and build extra time to get to the Airport.

While adjusting to new traffic patterns drive more cautiously and follow directional signage as construction remains ongoing.
Refer to the Maps and Directions page to find recommended routes.

Parking Tips

View TSA’s travel tips.
For current parking conditions and rates, call 704.359.5555 or visit parking.charlotteairport.com.
Get dropped off at the Airport, carpool, ride CATS, or use one of the many taxi and ground transportation companies serving the Airport.
Passengers can be picked up and dropped off along the terminal’s curbside, however, vehicles cannot be left unattended. Curbside parking is not allowed and unattended vehicles may be towed. This includes all lanes on the Ticketing and Baggage Claim levels.
Visitors wanting to pick up or drop off family or friends in the terminal are encouraged to park in the Hourly Deck. The Hourly Deck is within walking distance to the terminal and the first hour is free.
Another option for picking up passengers is to park in the free Cell Phone Lot located on Josh Birmingham Parkway before the entrance to Long Term Lot 1. Just wait in your vehicle and ask your passenger to contact you when they claim their luggage, then drive to either level of the terminal to pick them up.
Visit parking.charlotteairport.com (or call 704-359-5555) to view the real-time interactive parking map. Click on a parking facility for parking conditions, rates and directions directly to that facility. (The real-time parking status map can be accessed on all mobile devices and personal computers.)
Parking is provided on a first come, first served basis. CLT Airport does not currently offer any pre-paid parking options through this website or any other website.
Handicap parking is available in all CLT facilities and accessible shuttles run continuously. If assistance is needed, please call 704-359-4038.
Follow Airport Parking signs indicating which facilities are full and how to navigate to open facilities.
Remember where you’ve parked by snapping a picture with your cell phone of the parking facility name. Keep your parking ticket with you and write down the bus shelter closest to your vehicle. If you are parking in a deck, write down the level and row nearest your vehicle.
Save time by using credit card or prepaid only lanes when exiting parking facilities using SmartPark Express.

Take your parking ticket with you when leaving your vehicle.
Upon returning to CLT, prepay for parking at a yellow Pay&Go station. Pay&Go stations are located in the Hourly Deck near the elevators and four are located at the shuttle bus stop between the Daily Decks.

You may notice some parking facilities are deemed full when it seems like there are parking spaces available. Facilities are considered full when there are not enough available spaces to properly service vehicles. Please proceed to an open facility.
CLT parking facilities are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are well-lit and patrolled regularly.
Airport Parking Customer Service Representatives can help answer questions. These representatives are located on the terminal’s lower level curbside (Arrivals/Baggage Claim) at a yellow stand.

Parking Option	Daily Rate
Long Term Lots (1 - 2)	$7
Hourly Deck Free/first hour \| $1/each additional 30 minutes \| $20 max/day	$20
Daily East and West Decks Daily North Lot	$10 $8
Business Valet Deck	$14
Curbside Valet	$35

Questions? Visit the parking FAQs or CLT’s parking page.

Passenger Pick-up /Drop-off

Go against the grain: avoid congestion by dropping off passengers on the arrivals level or picking up passengers on the departures level.
Avoid looping around the Airport.
Do not park or pull off to the side of roadways to wait for arriving travelers.
CLT offers convenient options to drop off or pick up passengers.

Short Term Parking – The most convenient parking option is the Hourly Parking Deck. Hourly parking is free for the first hour and spaces are available on levels 4-7. Walkways from the Level 2 elevator lobbies provide access to and from the terminal. Check the real-time interactive parking map of the Hourly Parking Deck and other CLT parking facilities.
Cell Phone Lot – Utilize the free Cell Phone Lot directly off Josh Birmingham Parkway before the entrance to Long Term Lot 1. Drivers are required to remain with their vehicles.

Security

All security checkpoints are operated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Security checkpoint lines may be adjusted to accommodate anticipated crowds. Pay close attention to signage and personnel directing you to the correct line.
All concourses and aircraft gates are accessible from any security checkpoint.
Do not pack or bring prohibited items to CLT. For a complete list, visit the TSA website at www.tsa.gov.
Arrive early. Current security measures increase time needed to check in. When traveling with young children, infants, elderly or disabled passengers, allow even more time.
It is recommended that you inform a security checkpoint screener of any disability or if you are traveling with special equipment that cannot go through an x-ray inspection.
Have photo identification and boarding pass available. A valid government issued identification and boarding pass are required for gate access. Learn more about TSA's identification requirements for airport checkpoints.
If you are meeting a child requiring assistance at the gate, you must contact your airline in advance to make arrangements for a gate pass.
All carry-on items must be screened at security checkpoints. Liquids are allowed in carry-on luggage in accordance with the liquids rule. There are exceptions for baby food/formula as well as items needed for special medical purposes.
Do not wrap gifts.
Food items and gifts in liquid form, such as jams and lotions, are also limited to the liquids rule for carry-ons. Liquid items that are more than 3.4 ounces in size that have been purchased beyond security checkpoints at CLT merchants are allowed on planes as they have already been screened.

For more security related information, questions or updates, please contact the TSA at 1-866-289-9673 or e-mail TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov, or visit the TSA web site.

Finding Your Way Inside CLT
There are more than 1.8 million square feet and five concourses that make up the CLT terminal. With nearly 100 dining and shopping choices mixed among 96 gates, find your way around using the terminal map.

Traveling with Children

Allow extra time to check in and proceed through security checkpoints.
Pack activities for children such as coloring books, crayons or reading material.
Explore interesting art installations throughout the terminal; these include a replica of the original Wright brother’s flyer (Concourse E), 1939 Bellanca Model 14-9L (Concourse D) and the First in Flight kinetic clock tower mobile in the Atrium.
Contact your airline before heading to the airport for an adult to accompany a child traveling alone.

Traveling with Pets and Service Animals

Check with your airline concerning specific policies for traveling with pets.
Pet Relief Areas are located inside the terminal (post-security) on the A/B Connector (near Checkpoint A), on the Concourse A Connector (between Gates A1-A13 and A21-A29) and on Concourse D near Original Rum Bar and Grill. Areas are also located outside the terminal (pre-security) at the ends (west and east) on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim level. The post-security locations are identified on the terminal map.
Except for service animals, pets should remain in their carriers while indoors.