Beware Thanksgiving traffic around the Charlotte airport. Here are the roads to avoid
Thanksgiving week is here, which means drivers should prepare for heavy traffic around Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The week of Thanksgiving is historically the busiest week of the year, airport officials told The Charlotte Observer in an email.
An estimated 1.02 million passengers are expected to depart from the airport from Thursday, Nov. 21 to Monday, Dec. 2, a 7% increase from last year, airport officials said in a news release ahead of the holiday week.
What are the busiest travel days in Charlotte?
Airport officials estimate over 90,000 passengers will depart on each of the airport’s busiest days, which will be:
- Friday, Nov. 22
- Wednesday, Nov. 27
- Sunday, Dec. 1
- Monday, Dec. 2
Plus, service workers at the Charlotte airport may go on strike for 24 hours during the Thanksgiving or Christmas travel season as they continue to demand higher wages and protest unfair labor practices, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
The announcement comes as the airport is preparing for a high-traffic Thanksgiving travel period, and it’s unclear how the strike would impact travelers (or drivers nearby).
As Thanksgiving travel hits its peak, you might want to avoid a few specific roads around the airport.
Roads to avoid during holiday travel in Charlotte
Based on driving directions to the airport, Charlotte drivers can expect the following roads to be congested during the week of Nov. 24:
Josh Birmingham Parkway
Billy Graham Parkway (from South Tryon Street to Josh Birmingham Parkway)
Wilkinson Boulevard (from Billy Graham Parkway to Interstate 485)
Interstate 77 (around the Billy Graham Parkway exit)
Interstate 85 (around the Billy Graham Parkway and Little Rock Road exits)
How to get to CLT airport on time
For busy holiday periods and to avoid as best you can the possibility of sitting in traffic, passengers should add extra time to their schedule, airport officials said last year.
Passengers should arrive at the terminal at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight, airport officials said. They also are asking customers to book parking in advance online at parkCLT.com.
For more travel tips this holiday season, visit cltairport.mediaroom.com.
How often are CLT flights on time?
A recent report from travel website Locals Insider ranked Charlotte Douglas the tenth-best airport for holiday travel in the United States.
It found that 84.6% of flights at the airport were on-time last holiday season, according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 2:19 PM.
