Charlotte Airport Slashes Wait Times in Half With New Face-Scanning Tech

At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, new scanning systems cut processing delays for U.S. citizens by 51% since early 2025. The change marks a big shift in how people move through the airport.

The system links faces to flight details and passport pictures sent ahead of time. U.S. citizens now zip through in just 8.63 minutes instead of 16. People from other countries spend 14.33 minutes in line, much better than the old 22-minute wait.

"We can get passengers through faster while completing our CBP processes, and the likelihood of a passenger missing their connecting flights is significantly reduced," said Acting Port Director Cherrise Montgomery to WCNC.

Charlotte joins other big airports testing this fresh approach. Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, and Seattle-Tacoma also use the Enhanced Primary Processing program to boost speed without cutting corners on safety.

"It was super quick," said Zane Pendleton to WCNC. "I've only been through Customs once before at LAX, and it was the longest day of my life."

Special kiosks snap pictures and match them to stored photos. After the scan, officers check if you have items to declare. Anyone who prefers not to use the system can opt-out.

More planes from other countries now touch down at CLT. The count of international flyers should hit two million this year, up from 1.9 million in 2024. Most people, about 85%, coming from abroad are U.S. citizens.

Peak times see up to ten planes landing, each packed with 200 people. Last year brought 16,283 international flights, with a small bump expected this year.

Unlike the $120 Global Entry program with its background checks, this system costs nothing. But Global Entry still wins for frequent flyers who want TSA PreCheck and quick entry abroad.

When several planes land at once, this tech keeps lines moving. It tracks who comes and goes across borders, making the whole process smoother for everyone.