Crowds descend on Charlotte airport in peak day for holiday air travel

The Christmas exodus out of Charlotte took hold at Charlotte Douglas International Airport Friday morning, with long lines and crowded parking lots.

It’s the airport’s second-busiest time of the year (behind Thanksgiving). An estimated 170,000 passengers are expected to check in at the airport through Monday, besides the more than 100,000 passengers who connect through the airport daily, airport officials said Tuesday.

Friday is a peak day, as passengers depart for their holiday destination.

Parking will be in high demand through Monday. Drivers are encouraged to use the hourly deck to pick up and drop off passengers. Parking is free for the first hour and within walking distance of the terminal.

Security checkpoints will open at 4 a.m. and ticket counters at 4:15 a.m. each day.

This story was originally published December 23, 2016 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Crowds descend on Charlotte airport in peak day for holiday air travel."