CLEVELAND — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has been seeing more passengers this year than in years past. Michele Dynia, the public information officer with the airport, explained how many people they are expecting to see in 2024.

What You Need To Know

  • There will be more passengers at Cleveland Hopkins airport this year than there has been in the last several years 

  • More passengers means longer security lines 

  • The airport is working to accommodate the increased number of passengers and try to relieve some of the long security lines 

“We’re forecasting 10.25 million passengers for this year, so just in general the airport is going to be busier,” she said. 

With all of the extra people, the security lines have been extra long. Dynia said that the airport has been busy and that it’s likely going to stay that way for awhile.

“Every day, every morning, is going to be busy. No matter what day of the week it is,” she said.

Dynia explained that part of the reason that lines are so much longer is due to the size of the airport.

“We’re still stuck with the same infrastructure, so we’re still stuck with the smaller check points and the smaller ticketing level,” she said.

Relief won’t be coming anytime soon as summer travel approaches. Dynia said that there will be an increased in travelers from the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

“We’re expecting to see about 3.3 million passengers,” she said.

That's compared to the three million passengers the airport serviced during the same time period last year. To help relieve the long lines Dynia said the Transportation Security Administration is opening both security checkpoints when needed.

“TSA will be opening their checkpoints even earlier for us so that it helps alleviate that initial strain on the checkpoints, so they’ll be opening as earlier as 3 o’clock and 3:30,” she said.

Dynia suggested that people get to the airport two hours ahead of their flight to give themselves enough time to get to where they need to go.