Charlotte-Douglas expecting over 25,000 people traveling on Wednesday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For Ben and Jessica Hernandez, flying is the only reasonable way to get where they're going.

"We are heading to California to see my family for Thanksgiving," said Ben.

They have to catch a connecting flight in Fresno, so they, like many travelers, need their flight to be on time. That means getting through security and to their gate needs to be the least of their concerns, but for many long lines and pat downs can cause delays.

"The first 10 years in TSA was treating everyone the same," said federal security director at Charlotte Douglas, Mark Haught.

Haught said people can expect to see a new norm during the next few years.

There are a number of security changes in place at Charlotte Douglas this year designed to cut down on the time it takes to make it through security.

Children under 12 and people over 75 can keep their shoes and belts on.

Charlotte also has between 800-1,500 travelers who can go through a pre-check security point. They are frequent travelers who have been pre-screened by the government.

On the busiest day this week, Wednesday, Charlotte Douglas is expecting about 25,000 people to come through the airport. One of the most significant changes they've made this year, to help alleviate some of the congestion, is to add a new terminal. Terminal E will bring the total number of checkpoints at the airport to five.

"I would say to the traveling public that things are different but they're just as safe and secure at they were for the first 10 years," said Haught.

To read AAA's comments on holiday travel, click here.

WSOC