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My sister is flying in Tuesday night. I live about 15-20 minutes away from the airport -- I took a dry run today and it took me 15 minutes from my door to the "Arrivals" row, and 18 minutes to get back home.
I'm thinking if she calls me right when she gets off the plane, I can leave then and with a little luck be pulling up within a few minutes of her having fetched her suitcase from baggage claim.
Sound about right? Or does it take much longer or shorter to get your bags at the airport? And I'm assuming that cell phones work there, right?
That sound like it would work but you never know about traffic there during the holidays. There is a cell phone lot right there at the airport. I parked there the last time I picked a friend up and it was great. Go through the traffic light and the cell phone lot is clearly marked on your right. Good luck!
You should check the flight status online and make sure her flight is on time and leave your house around the time the flight is expected to land and wait in the cell phone lot till she calls you. This way you wont be driving around the place. I have done this several times when i needed to pick up friends.
And yes the cell phones work inside. And the time to collect the baggage is not much. It should be ready in around 10-15 max.
Cell phone lot is great for timing a curbside pickup, but I have had lots of luck with short term parking and running in to meet my party (usually my son). Often we are so quick we are not charged for parking when we leave.
Since pickups are right outside baggage claim the cell phone lot works.
Also the hourly lot is free the first 30 minutes and only a $1 for 60 minutes if for some reason she'd need help grabbing her bags. Just an alternative if you'd be picking up parents instead of a sister. If it were my sister, I'd probably just tell her to walk, what's 25 miles between siblings.
CLT is going to get busier and busier as the week moves along towards Thanksgiving. I would worry less about timing it right and just hit the cel phone lot and have her call when she's outside with her bags or park in short-term and pay the up to $1 to meet her in baggage claim.
Piece of advice for anyone picking up at the airport who does not go there often: People walking across the road between the terminal and the garage / shuttle stops have the right of way. Stop at crosswalks, be patient and just wait for them to cross; don't be a jerk and cut people off with your car.
I've picked up from the cell phone lot on weekdays and sometimes it is full, I imagine it's worse around the holidays. You still might have to drive around a bit. I'd pay the $1 and park if the cell phone lot is full or busy. Sometimes DH walks up to the Departures and I pick him up there if it's less busy.
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should remember this the next time my sis visits 
