Ruth Haines
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a large and extremely busy airport with two terminals: the Domestic Terminal (further divided into North and South) and the International Terminal. The two terminals are connected by the Plane Train within the airport's secured area. If you are not checking any bags, you can exit out of the International Terminal without any issues. However, if you are checking bags, you will need to go to the appropriate terminal to check your luggage. Additionally, you should allow plenty of time to clear security and arrive at your departure gate, as ATL serves a large number of passengers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of terminals | 2 |
| Names of terminals | Domestic Terminal (North and South), International Terminal |
| Transport between terminals | Plane Train, shuttle bus |
| Transport time between terminals | 12 minutes (shuttle bus) |
| Security | 3 checkpoints in Domestic Terminal, 1 in International Terminal |
| Security wait times | Shorter in International Terminal |
| Checked luggage | Must be checked at the correct terminal |
| Luggage collection | Bags must be collected and rechecked at Concourse F |
| Transport to concourses | Plane Train |
| Concourse gates | Odd-numbered gates on the eastern side, even-numbered gates on the western side |
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What You'll Learn
Navigating Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is a large and extremely busy airport with two terminals: the Domestic Terminal (further divided into Domestic Terminal South and Domestic Terminal North) and the International Terminal. There are also seven airside concourses filled with shops, restaurants, and departure gates. The Domestic Terminal serves as the head of the airport, the International Terminal as the tail, and the concourses as the ribs.
If you are flying from the International Terminal, you can pass through security in the Domestic Terminal and vice versa, provided you hold a valid boarding pass. If you are flying with checked luggage, you need to check whether your airline has check-in facilities at your terminal. The airport would prefer that you do not do this, as it messes up their staffing predictions. If you have checked luggage, you will need to go to the correct terminal to check your bag.
The Plane Train connects the terminals and concourses, and a free shuttle bus can also get you where you need to go in about 12 minutes. However, the shuttle is less comfortable and reliable than the Plane Train, and you may have to wait in line and endure the heat. If you have a connecting flight, you may not need to go through security again, as there is no exit immigration to clear in the US. However, if you are returning from an international trip and landing at Concourse F, you will need to claim your luggage and go through customs and immigration before rechecking your bag, all behind TSA security. Then, you can go to the concourse from which your domestic flight is leaving.
Navigating ATL can be straightforward as long as you are aware of which terminal you are departing from and whether you can pass through the alternative terminal. Even if you find yourself at the wrong end of the airport, the free shuttle bus or Plane Train can get you where you need to go. As ATL serves many passengers, allow plenty of time to clear security and arrive at your departure gate. Although you may try to get a head start by researching the gate number of past flights, these gates are always subject to change.
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Domestic and international terminal connections
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has two terminals: the Domestic Terminal (further divided into Domestic Terminal North and Domestic Terminal South) and the International Terminal. The airport also has seven airside concourses with shops, restaurants, and departure gates. The Domestic Terminal serves as the head of the fishbone-shaped airport, while the International Terminal is the tail, and the concourses are the ribs. An underground transportation system called the Plane Train connects the terminals and concourses.
When travelling between the domestic and international terminals, it is important to allow sufficient time to clear security and reach your departure gate. While you can pass through security in either terminal, regardless of your boarding pass, certain circumstances may complicate this process. For instance, if you have checked luggage, you must ensure that your airline has check-in facilities at your chosen terminal. Additionally, when arriving on an international flight and wishing to exit at the domestic terminal, you may need to use a shuttle bus, as re-entering the secure area to take the Plane Train may not be possible.
The Plane Train provides a convenient connection between the domestic and international terminals within the airport's secured area. It is accessible from the escalators and arrives frequently, approximately every two minutes. This train also connects the concourses, allowing passengers to reach their departure gates efficiently. However, it is worth noting that the distance from the security area to your gate may vary depending on the terminal and concourse layout.
When transferring from a domestic to an international flight, it is essential to confirm your onward gate and follow the signs to reach it. In the United States, domestic-to-international transfers are generally similar to domestic-to-domestic transfers due to the absence of exit immigration requirements. Nevertheless, it is advisable to allow ample time for any connections, as Atlanta International Airport is a large and busy airport.
If you have checked luggage, it is recommended to check your bags to your final destination during the initial check-in process. This eliminates the need for interacting with customs during your journey. However, when returning from an international trip and arriving at Concourse F, you will need to claim your luggage, go through customs and immigration, and recheck your bag before proceeding to the concourse for your domestic flight.
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Security and boarding pass requirements
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has two terminals: the Domestic Terminal (further divided into North and South) and the International Terminal. The two terminals are connected by the Plane Train, which operates 24 hours a day and departs every 2 minutes. The Plane Train can be accessed via escalators or elevators from Level 0.
Passengers can access all concourses and gates from any checkpoint. There are three security checkpoints in the Domestic Terminal: the main checkpoint, the north checkpoint, and the south checkpoint. Once you’ve cleared security, you’ll arrive at Concourse T. Gates are marked according to their concourse. For example, T14 is in Concourse T. All concourses, except Concourse T, have gates on both sides, with odd-numbered gates on the eastern side and even-numbered gates on the western side.
If you are travelling with carry-on baggage only, you need to check in online and have a printed or mobile boarding pass. If you need to check in at the counter or check your bags, you may face issues as some airlines do not have a check-in desk in the international terminal. In such cases, you may have to take the shuttle bus to the Domestic Terminal. Therefore, it is recommended to have your boarding pass and check your bags before arriving at the airport.
Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours before domestic departures and three hours before international departures. Wait times at the security checkpoints vary throughout the day, with the busiest times usually between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. and during holidays and long weekends.
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Shuttle bus and Plane Train transport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a large and extremely busy airport with two terminals: the Domestic Terminal (further divided into Domestic Terminal South and Domestic Terminal North) and the International Terminal. The Domestic and International Terminals are connected by the Plane Train within the airport's secured area. The Plane Train connects all terminals and concourses, and a train arrives every two minutes. The airport is laid out like a fishbone, with the Domestic Terminal as the head, the International Terminal as the tail, and the seven concourses as the ribs. The Plane Train forms the spine of this layout, as an underground transportation system.
If you are travelling between terminals, it is important to be aware of your departure terminal and whether you are able to pass through the alternative terminal. If you are flying with checked luggage, you need to check whether your airline has check-in facilities at the terminal of your choice. If you are flying from the International Terminal, you can pass through security in the Domestic Terminal and vice versa, provided you hold a valid boarding pass.
There is also a free shuttle bus service that can get you between terminals in 12 minutes. The shuttle bus is located outside the West Terminal Exit, and the pick-up area is on the Green Bus Aisle, outside the Ground Transportation area between the Domestic North and Domestic South Terminals. The shuttle bus is particularly useful if you are arriving on an international flight and need to get to the Domestic Terminal to check in bags, as you won't be able to re-enter the secure area to take the Plane Train.
In addition to the shuttle bus and Plane Train, there are various other transport options for getting to and from the airport, including taxis, Uber, limos, buses, trains, and rental cars. There are also shared shuttle services, such as Groome Transportation, which operates daily round trips to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
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Checked luggage and concourse information
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is large and extremely busy. It has two terminals: the Domestic Terminal (further divided into Domestic Terminal South and Domestic Terminal North) and the International Terminal. There are also seven airside concourses filled with shops, restaurants, and departure gates. The Domestic Terminal is on the western side of the airport and is separated into north and south by an atrium.
If you are flying with checked luggage, you need to check whether your airline has check-in facilities at your terminal. The only issue with checking bags is if you have an international flight arriving at ATL and need to get to the domestic terminal. In this case, you won't be able to re-enter the secure area to take the Plane Train, so you'll have to take the shuttle bus. The shuttle journey between terminals takes around 12 minutes.
The Domestic Terminal has three security checkpoints: the main checkpoint (the largest), the north checkpoint, and the south checkpoint. Once you’ve cleared security, you’ll arrive at Concourse T. All concourses, except Concourse T, have gates on both sides, with odd-numbered gates on the eastern side and even-numbered gates on the western side. Each concourse is about half a mile long, and it takes around five minutes to walk to the furthest gate from the entry point in the middle.
The Plane Train is an underground transportation system that connects the Domestic and International Terminals within the airport's secured area. The Plane Train arrives every two minutes and takes a few minutes to travel between terminals.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you cannot leave without a boarding pass. You could enter the international terminal without a pass, but you would not be able to get past security.
If you have checked luggage, you need to go to the appropriate terminal to collect it. If you have no checked luggage, you can exit through the international terminal.
There is a shuttle bus that runs between the two terminals. You can also take the Plane Train, which connects all terminals.
The shuttle bus takes around 12 minutes. The Plane Train arrives every 2 minutes, and the journey is just a few minutes.
Yes, you can check in at the international terminal for a domestic flight. However, if you need to check in at the counter, you may find that your airline does not have check-in facilities at the international terminal.
