CLE Prepares for ‘100 Days of Summer’
May 22, 2024
Press Releases
As Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) approaches the busy summer travel season, here is some important info for travelers to know during the ‘100 days of summer.’
CLE is anticipating this summer travel season to be one of the busiest travel periods post-pandemic. So far this year, passenger traffic has been 103 percent of 2019 passenger numbers year-to-date and 108 percent of 2023 numbers.
During the “100 days of summer,” which begin Memorial Day week and extends through Labor Day, CLE is expecting more than 3.3 million travelers, up 200,000 over last year during the same time.
To accommodate the increase in passengers expected over the summer, TSA will begin opening North and Central Checkpoints at 3:30 a.m. and South Checkpoint at 3 a.m., however the airport cannot stress enough how important it is to arrive early, especially during peak hours of the day: 4-6 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.
Travel Tips
Airport officials encourage travelers to arrive at least 2 hours for domestic flights and 3 hours for international flights to allow time for inclement weather, traffic, parking, check-in and going through the checkpoints. Passengers are encouraged to look for signs, along with Gold Coat Ambassadors and Landside Operations employees who are available to help with directions.
CLE’s web site is a one-stop shop for travel information. Visit the website at www.clevelandairport.com to check the following:
- Flight statuses
- Airline contact information
- Dining and retail options
- Art exhibit locations
- Current TSA Checkpoint wait times
- Status of airport parking entities
Follow CLE on Twitter at @GoingPlacesCLE and on Facebook at facebook.com/CLEairport for important announcements.
Consider using an airline’s website to do advance check-in to print boarding passes up to 24 hours before departure.
Travelers have many parking options, including:
- CLE Curbside Valet, $35 per day
- The Smart Parking Garage, $23 per day
- The Red Lot, $21 per day
- The Blue Lot, $21 per day
- The Orange Lot, $18 per day
- The Brown Lot, $16 per day
The Ground Transportation Center located by the Smart Parking Garage includes wheelchair service, free luggage carts and new arrival/departure notification technology to make traveling via shuttle a breeze.
Picking up friends and family at the airport? Don’t circle around waiting for an arrival. Park and wait in the CLE Cell Phone Lot located off State Route 237 South. Follow the blue directional signs for easy parking.
RTA Red Line to the Airport
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) offers convenient service to and from CLE. RTA's Red Line provides regular service between CLE and downtown Cleveland via the Tower City Station. The trip takes less than 30 minutes and trains depart from CLE every 25 minutes for the majority of the day.
For more information, visit the RTA web site at www.riderta.com or call The RTAnswerline at 216-621-9500.
TSA travel tips
Always have a government-issued ID ready to present at the airline ticket counter and security checkpoint. CLE’s new Checkpoint Wait Times feature allows travelers to select the shortest security line or view the expected wait time at the closest checkpoint line. This amenity is also available on our website, www.clevelandairport.com.
Be prepared for the screening process:
- Look through luggage to ensure no prohibited items are in the bag prior to coming to the airport.
- All three CLE checkpoints now have Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines for passenger screening. Be prepared for metal detectors and x-ray machines for carry-on items.
- Remember the TSA 3-1-1 rule for carry-on items – Three ounces (3 oz.) per container, in a clear one-quart bag, one per passenger.
- Knives, scissors with pointed tips, pepper spray and other such items are prohibited as carry-on items. For a comprehensive list of banned and permitted items, visit the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Web site at www.tsa.gov.
- Carry-on luggage is restricted to one bag and one personal item per person. A personal item includes a purse, briefcase or laptop bag.
- Outer coats, jackets and other such garments must be removed and put through x-ray screening.
- Children under the age of 12 years old will not have to remove their shoes before going through security.
TSA Pre✓™ is available at CLE and allows select frequent flyers of participating airlines and members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler programs who are flying on participating airlines, to receive expedited screening benefits. Eligible participants use dedicated screening lanes for screening benefits which include leaving on shoes, light outerwear and belts, as well as leaving laptops and 3-1-1 compliant liquids in carry-on bags. TSA Pre✓™ has one available lane at South Checkpoint during peak hours and Central is TSA Pre✓™ only.
For more information on TSA Pre✓™ visit http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck
CLEAR, the secure identity company using biometrics to build a frictionless and secure world, is also available for travelers at CLE. It is located in the Central Checkpoint for travelers with TSA Pre✓™ and in the South Checkpoint for those who do not.
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) is Northeast Ohio’s Gateway to the World. Serving 10,000,000 passengers annually with over 135 daily departures to 38 nonstop destinations, CLE is Northeast Ohio’s premier commercial airport. With nonstop service operating on 34 domestic and 4 international routes, it is the busiest airport serving State of Ohio metropolitan areas as ranked by passenger activity. Ten passenger airlines and two all-cargo airlines operate regularly at CLE. The upcoming multi-phase Terminal Modernization Development Program will elevate the travel experience for all through an extensive transformation of terminal and related facilities. It is anticipated to begin in 2025, the Airport’s 100th Anniversary, and extend into the next decade.