Cleveland, Ohio – November 25th, 2025 — The busy Thanksgiving Day holiday travel season for Northeast Ohioans is underway as guests head to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) for their holiday travel plans. The two busiest travel days of the holiday season are the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, exceeded by the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

CLE expects just over 300,000 guests to travel through the airport during this year’s Thanksgiving travel period from November 22nd through November 30th. 

Additional staff will be assigned during the heavy travel periods including customer service personnel, law enforcement personnel including Cleveland Police Airport Unit, and custodial and maintenance staff. 

To help prepare travelers, CLE is offering the following tips:
 

Travel tips 

  • Passengers should expect longer lines at the ticket counters and the three CLE Security Checkpoints.  
  • The South Security Checkpoint opens at 3:15 a.m. and the North and Central Checkpoints open at 3:45 a.m.
  • Airport officials encourage travelers to arrive at least two hours before scheduled departures to allow time for inclement weather, traffic, parking, checking-in and going through the checkpoints.
  • CLE’s Ground Transportation Center, located at the north end of Baggage Claim, is your one-stop for all shuttles. The Center features covered and heated waiting areas for added convenience.
  • CLE’s website is a one-stop shop for travelers needing up-to-the-minute travel information.  Visit the website at www.clevelandairport.com for the following:
    • Status of your flight
    • Airline contact information
    • Parking status updates
    • Checkpoint wait times

Follow CLE on Twitter at @GoingPlacesCLE and on Facebook at facebook.com/CLEairport for any important travel updates.

Consider using your airline’s website to do advance check-in to print your boarding pass up to 24-hours before departure.  

Travelers have many parking options, including:

  • CLE Curbside Valet, $37 per day
  • The Smart Parking Garage, $25 per day
  • The Red Lot, $23 per day
  • The Blue Lot, $23 per day
  • The Orange Lot, $20 per day
  • The Brown Lot, $17 per day

Picking up friends and family at the airport?  Don’t circle the airport waiting for the call they have arrived.  Park and wait in our CLE Cell Phone Lot located off State Route 237 South, or it can be accessed by Jackson Road, which is now a two-way street. This lot is for temporary idling or stopping and NOT for parking. Follow the blue directional signs to easily locate this lot.
 

Hopkins Hospitality

Access Cleveland Hopkins International Airport like never before. Hopkins Hospitality represents a guest experience initiative featuring five core programs, each designed to foster a more accessible and accommodating travel experience for all.

  • The Hopkins Hangout Pass is designed for non-ticketed guests to access the secure side of the airport to accompany a departing loved one or greet then upon arrival at their gate.
  • Hopkins Hounds Therapy Dog program is designed to support the emotional well-being of travelers and airport staff through calming interactions with certified therapy dogs.
  • Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program is part of a global initiative for individuals with non-visible disabilities to discreetly signal they may need additional support and understanding while traveling through the airport.
  • Airport Ambassadors are volunteers who provide assistance to travelers and their families navigating the airport.
  • Hopkins Flight School launched earlier this month is an opportunity for individuals with anxiety, special needs or just wanting to see what all the process of flying entails. Due to the success of our first event, we are planning on making this a bi-annual event.

For more information on any of these programs head to: https://www.clevelandairport.com/airport/hopkins-hospitality
 

RTA Redline to the Airport

  • The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) offers convenient service to and from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. 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 15 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-issue ID ready to present at the airline ticket counter and security checkpoint.
Be prepared for the screening process:

Be sure to look through your luggage to ensure no prohibited items are in the bag.

  • All three CLE checkpoints have Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines for passenger screening.  Metal detectors and x-ray machines for carry-on items are also in place for passenger screening.
  • 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) website at www.tsa.gov.
  • Carry-on luggage is typically restricted to one bag and one personal item per person.  A personal item includes a purse, briefcase, or laptop bag.  Keep in mind that all airlines have different policies, please check with your airline to make sure you know their policy.
  • Outer coats, jackets and other such outer garments must be removed and put through x-ray screening.
  • Children under the age of 12 will not have to remove their shoes before going through security.

TSA Pre✓™ is available at CLE.  TSA Pre✓™ 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.

Central Checkpoint is exclusively a TSA Pre✓™ checkpoint.  During peak hours, South Checkpoint will have a TSA Pre✓™ available.  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), Northeast Ohio’s Gateway to the World. Ohio’s busiest airport serves over 10,000,000 passengers annually. Ten passenger airlines offer over 130 daily departures to more than 40 nonstop destinations. There are also four all-cargo airlines serving CLE.  

The launch of CLEvolution: The Campaign to Transform Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, marks a major investment to modernize CLE over the next decade. The evolution of this critical regional asset will not only revolutionize the air travel experience for local residents and visitors alike but also position Northeast Ohio for future growth and greater economic prosperity.