Latest Charlotte airport change is aimed at getting passengers through security faster
Charlotte’s airport is opening another security checkpoint after the weekend to provide a faster experience for passengers traveling through the busy airport, CLT announced Friday.
The Transportation Security Administration Checkpoint 2 will be ready for limited passenger screenings on Monday at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The checkpoint will be fully operational on Wednesday.
The screening lanes were also expanded at the airport. There are currently 17 lanes and with the new project, CLT will have 21 lanes — 11 of which are automated screening lanes. TSA expects to process 600 more passengers per hour.
Checkpoint 2 is part of plan to combine five lettered checkpoints into three numbered ones. After opening, the airport is permanently closing Checkpoint A. All concourses and gates will be accessible from any security checkpoint, according to Charlotte Douglas.
The project is part of the airport’s $608 million Terminal Lobby Expansion plan, which began in 2019. It added 175,000 square feet to the lobby and renovated 191,000 square feet of existing space.
The lobby expansion is part of Destination CLT, an initiative to renovate and expand the facility. The total capital investment is $4 billion.
Checkpoint 2 is at the center of the terminal lobby and will be the main screening location for TSA PreCheck and flight crews. Airport employees will use all three checkpoints for work.
What a busy day looks like at CLT airport
According to the TSA, anything over 35,000 passengers is a busy day at Charlotte’s airport, while anything over 40,000 is “very busy” and 45,000 is “extremely busy,” The Charlotte Observer previously reported. TSA’s standard is to get people through a security line in about 30 minutes or less.
In 2024, over 58.8 million passengers traveled through CLT. Of that total, 13% (18 million) used the terminal lobby for arrivals and departures. Charlotte Douglas broke the 2023 record of 53.4 million last year.
CLT is the seventh busiest airport in the world for arrivals and departures, according to Airports Council International.
The majority of these passengers are served by American Airlines, which accounts for about 90% of flights. Charlotte Douglas is the second largest hub for the Fort Worth, Texas-based company.
What’s next for Charlotte airport construction?
The Charlotte airport is planning to add more terminal lobby improvements. This includes three additional automated exit lanes in the ticketing area and two new carousels in the baggage claim area, bringing the total to eight.
Work is underway to renovate Concourses D and E. This includes upgrades to restrooms and flooring. The airport expects to complete Concourse D renovations by fall 2026 and spring 2027 for Concourse E.
For airfield operations, Charlotte Douglas commissioned its North End Around Taxiway project in January. Construction for the $253-million project began in 2021.
CLT is also working on a fourth parallel project, which is in the early stages. The $1 billion project is scheduled to open in fall 2027.
