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Summer travel numbers down as CLT prepares for Fourth of July weekend
By Clara Ottati
June 24, 2026 at 1:54 PM EDT
CLT airport officials said Wednesday that they are preparing for a busy Fourth of July weekend but expect fewer passengers than last year.
Long lines of travelers stretched through Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wednesday as airport representatives outlined their plans for Fourth of July weekend. CLT’s TSA Federal Security Director Greg Hawko said this year’s nationwide events could make the summer’s busiest weekend of the year even busier.
“This summer will be one of the busiest summers nationwide as we have giant activities going on around the country with the FIFA World Cup, America 250 and the celebrations throughout the entire summer,” Hawko said.
But Chief Operating Officer Jeff Perry said passenger activity is projected to be down 6.7% compared to this time last year. 1.6 million passengers are expected to pass through CLT between June 26 and July 6.
“Overall passenger volumes are expected to be modestly below last year’s record-setting holiday,” Perry said.
Memorial Day weekend saw a similar decrease in passenger traffic, dropping almost 9%.
Long lines of travelers stretched through Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wednesday as airport representatives outlined their plans for Fourth of July weekend. CLT’s TSA Federal Security Director Greg Hawko said this year’s nationwide events could make the summer’s busiest weekend of the year even busier.
“This summer will be one of the busiest summers nationwide as we have giant activities going on around the country with the FIFA World Cup, America 250 and the celebrations throughout the entire summer,” Hawko said.
But Chief Operating Officer Jeff Perry said passenger activity is projected to be down 6.7% compared to this time last year. 1.6 million passengers are expected to pass through CLT between June 26 and July 6.
“Overall passenger volumes are expected to be modestly below last year’s record-setting holiday,” Perry said.
Memorial Day weekend saw a similar decrease in passenger traffic, dropping almost 9%.