Your guide to navigating Cleveland International Airport

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, or CLE, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a bustling airport that serves millions of passengers every year. With its convenient location, modern facilities, and top-notch amenities, it’s no wonder why many travelers choose to fly in and out of this airport. From multiple dining and shopping options to the best customer service, the airport strives to make every traveler’s experience as enjoyable as possible. This guide can help you better navigate Cleveland Airport, whether you’re at the airport for the first time or it has just been a while.

Cleveland Airport is the busiest and largest airport in Ohio, serving over 9 million passengers annually. It was also the first airport in North America that was known to be directly connected with a rail transit line and the first airport that had a two-level design separating arrivals from departures and with an air traffic control tower. CLE offers services to nearly 40 destinations.

Cleveland Airport terminal and concourses

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has a two-level passenger terminal and four concourses: A, B, C, and D. Only A, B, and C are currently in use.   The ground level houses the baggage claim and arrivals. The USO Lounge, security checkpoints, a newsstand, and taxi services are available at the baggage claim of the airport’s Main Terminal, and ticketing takes place on the first floor. Concourse C, often known as the South Terminal, is the largest concourse at Cleveland International Airport. All the major airlines operate in this concourse.

How to navigate Cleveland Airport

Are you having difficulty navigating CLE Airport? To help you with this, there is the Airport Information Desk in the main terminal, where you can find information about directions, paging services, airline contact information, lost and found, and other help. To improve the passenger experience, the airport has a Landside Operations team at the ticketing level who can also help you better navigate the airport.

CLE Information Desk

• Location: Main Terminal, on the ticketing level close to the Central Security Checkpoint.
• Operating hours: 4:30 AM – 9 PM daily.

How to get from the shuttle drop-off location to the ticketing level

If you have reached the airport in a shuttle and need to get to the ticketing level, here are the steps to follow:

• First, you should enter the covered canopy walkway and then walk towards the ground transportation center.
• From the ground transportation center, there will be a two to three-minute walk to the terminal.
• If you have luggage, you can use the elevator or else the escalator.
• You will then reach the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gallery level, from where you can take another escalator to the ticketing level.
• If you need to know where your airline is, you can follow the directional signage available at the ticketing level.

Public transportation

The GCRTA, or the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, offers services both to and from CLE Airport. To get between CLE and downtown Cleveland (via the Tower City Station), you can catch RTA’s Red Line.

• Train timings: Every 15 minutes
• Travel duration: Less than 30 minutes
• RTA station location: Lower level of the main terminal
• How to get to the station: You can use the escalators or elevators available in the ticketing and baggage claim levels.

Cleveland Airport parking  

Several onsite parking options are available at Cleveland Airport. This includes Curbside Valet Parking, CLE Smart Parking Garage, Red Lot, Blue Lot, Orange Lot, and Brown Lot. You can pay and park at any of these lots based on your convenience. Onsite parking lots usually get crowded fast, and parking here is not always easy. To avoid this difficulty, you can park at any of the offsite Cleveland Airport parking lots available near the airport. You can book your spot in advance at cheaper rates and avoid the hassle of waiting in long queues. To know more about CLE parking lots and rates, check out the parking guide.

Cleveland Airport hours 

The Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is open 24 hours. There will be variations in the airline check-in and baggage drop hours based on the flight schedule. Also, the TSA security checkpoint hours vary depending on the location.

TSA Checkpoint	Operating Hours
Central Checkpoint	3:45 AM – 10:00 PM (TSA PreCheck only)
South Checkpoint	3:00 AM – 7:45 PM
North Checkpoint	3:45 AM – 7.00 PM

To know about the wait time, check out the current average TSA wait time at CLE.  

CLEAR

CLEAR is available at the South Checkpoint for those without TSA PreCheck and at the Central Checkpoint for those with TSA PreCheck.

Cleveland Airport lounges 

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has a couple of lounges where travelers can relax, refresh, and recharge before their flights. The main lounges are Club CLE, located at Concourse B near the entrance, and United Club in Concourse C, near gate C14.  

Dining options 

You will never go hungry at Cleveland Airport, as the airport has a good collection of restaurants. Among these, the top 10 food spots are: 

800 Degrees Woodfired Pizza Kitchen	Cinnabon
Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels	Dunkin’ Donuts
Bar Symon	Panini’s
Bruegger’s Bagels	Vino Volo
Chick-Fil-A	The Pub

Cleveland Airport hotels 

Have a look at these top hotels near Cleveland Airport, which make traveling around the city and to the airport easier. 

Crowne Plaza CLE Airport	Four Points by Sheraton Cleveland CLE Airport
Courtyard by Marriott Cleveland Airport South	Hampton Inn Cleveland Airport
Courtyard Cleveland Airport North	Holiday Inn Strongsville (Arpt) Cleveland Airport
Days Inn by Wyndham CLE Airport	Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel
Doubletree by Hilton Cleveland Airport	Wyndham Cleveland CLE Airport

Other services  

The airport offers many other services to make your travel experience better and more comfortable. Some of these are: 

• Courtesy phones 
• ATMs  
• Mail services 
• Interfaith center 
• Shoeshine 
• Mother’s room 
• Pet relief areas 

Tips to Navigate Cleveland Airport Terminal 

Here are some tips to navigate the Cleveland Airport Terminal: 

• Plan ahead for parking: Check the availability of the parking lots before you arrive, and reserve a spot in advance. 
• Use the TSA PreCheck lane: If you are enrolled in TSA PreCheck, use the dedicated lane for security screening to save time and avoid hassle.
• Make use of the amenities: The airport offers various amenities, such as restaurants, lounges, pet relief areas, and more, for your comfort and convenience. Take a stroll around the terminal and explore what’s available. 
• Check your gate location: The airport has three concourses (A, B, and C), so be sure to check your gate location before heading to your flight.  
• Ask for assistance: If you have any questions or need assistance navigating the terminal, don’t hesitate to ask airport staff for help. They are there to make your travel experience as smooth as possible. 

More about CLE Airport