Record-Breaking Travel at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is already one of the busiest airports in the world – and today was no exception. The combination of spring break and Easter weekend led to a huge influx of passengers in and out of CLT on Thursday.

Roughly 150,000 passengers are expected to fly through CLT from Thursday through the weekend, leading to long lines and travel headaches. For some, like Belmont resident Tom Chapman, it was downright terrible.

“Baggage tags were not working today,” according to Chapman. “I know it’s Easter, I know there’s a lot going on, but we had plenty of time.”

Over three-quarters of the flights we checked this afternoon were under some kind of delay. One man we talked to missed his flight home yesterday to West Virginia by mere minutes due to weather delays in Florida.

“We had to spend the night,” he tells us. “American put us up for the night, and we’re back on the 9:00 flight tonight, so we’re getting there a day later.”

For some, the lines on the roads were worse than the lines for security.

“I’m going with a group of people from our school,” says Don Leimkuhler. “We’re just waiting for everyone to come.”

Leimkuhler is traveling to Greece for his spring break.

“A lot of people, so we’re still missing five people… traffic’s crazy.”

And some are just trying to grin and bear it.

“The worst part is yet to come,” says Mint Hill resident Barry Lee. “That’s when you’re going down A gate, B gate, C gate to try and get to your plane. And everybody’s right there trying to get on their plane.”

Over 43,000 passengers were projected to fly through Charlotte-Douglas on Thursday, which would set an all-time daily record.