Picking up someone at the airport in Charlotte? Here are tips to make it easier.

After a brief respite on Christmas, the Charlotte Douglas International Airport is bracing for more than 30,000 “originating passengers” per day who began and ended their travels in Charlotte, according to a media release.

Throughout December, the airport averages about 23,000 to 24,000 originating passengers — in addition to the 100,000 travelers who take connecting flights through Charlotte Douglas, the release said.

And while the airport’s long-term parking lots may be at capacity, there are still plenty of options for people preparing to pick up friends and family amid heavy traffic.

Here are some ways to avoid circling Charlotte Douglas or pulling to the side of a busy road:

• The hourly deck is free for the first hour, and it’s within walking distance of the terminal. Every additional 30 minutes costs $1, with a $20 maximum for the day.

• The cellphone lot is also free and close to the terminal, so drivers can easily relocate once their passengers arrive. Drivers must stay in their cars if they use the lot.

• The airport also encourages to “go against the grain” when it comes to picking up passengers — for example, coordinating to meet curbside at the departures/ticketing level instead of at the arrivals/baggage claim level.

• Charlotte Douglas offers a real-time parking map that can alleviate any lingering pick-up stress.

• There’s also the Charlotte Douglas International Airport app to track flight information.

Airlines for America, an industry trade organization, predicts that 47.5 million passengers will fly across the country between Dec. 19 and Jan. 5. That translates into an average of 2.6 million passengers on flights each day this holiday season, according to the group.

This Thanksgiving was record-breaking for the Transportation Security Administration. More than 26 million passengers and crew members were screened between Nov. 22 and Dec. 2, according to a TSA press release.

This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 11:47 AM.