Atlanta's Airport Situation: A Tale Of Two Hubs

Atlanta, Georgia, is served by Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. However, the idea of a second airport has been studied and debated for decades. In 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified Atlanta as needing additional airport capacity by 2025. While a second airport has been considered, with eight possible locations studied in 2011, none have been built. Hartsfield–Jackson has proven to be highly efficient and has a 20-year master plan to handle future demand, including additional gates, a sixth runway, and new concourses.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the primary airport in Atlanta, Georgia

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL) is the primary airport serving Atlanta, Georgia, and its surrounding metropolitan area. Located 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Atlanta, the airport covers 4,700 acres (7.3 sq mi; 19 km2) of land and features five parallel runways. With just over 1,000 flights a day to 225 domestic and international destinations, Hartsfield–Jackson is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movements. The airport served over 104.6 million passengers in 2023, the most of any airport in the world.

Hartsfield–Jackson is the corporate headquarters and primary hub of Delta Air Lines, which operates just over 1,000 flights a day. It is also an operating base for low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. The airport offers international service within North America and to Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia.

The airport has two terminals and seven concourses with a total of 192 gates. The Domestic Terminal is located on the west side of the airport, while the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal is on the east side. The Transportation Mall, an underground pedestrian tunnel with a series of moving walkways and The Plane Train, an automated people mover, connect the terminals and concourses.

Hartsfield–Jackson has been the subject of expansion plans to meet the increasing demand for air travel in the Atlanta area. In 2015, the airport unveiled a 20-year Master Expansion Plan to address future growth, calling for additional gates, a sixth runway, new concourses, and more parking lots.

While there have been discussions and studies about the possibility of a second commercial airport in Atlanta, none have come to fruition. In 2011, a study concluded that none of the eight potential sites would bring the right benefit for the cost. Hartsfield–Jackson remains the primary and busiest airport in Atlanta, Georgia, with no current plans for an additional facility.

The airport is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. The airport was originally named after Hartsfield in 1971, following his death. However, in 2003, after Jackson's death, the Atlanta City Council voted to add Jackson's name to the airport.

William B. Hartsfield was an Atlanta mayor who served the city for 26 years, from 1937 to 1941, and again from 1942 to 1962. Hartsfield was instrumental in developing Atlanta's airport, which opened in 1925 as Candler Field. He also helped transform the airport into a major hub for Delta Air Lines, which remains the airport's largest airline today.

Maynard Jackson was Atlanta's first African-American mayor, serving three terms from 1974 to 1982 and then from 1990 to 1994. Jackson was also instrumental in the expansion of the airport, including the construction of the midfield terminal complex, which opened in 1980. This expansion helped accommodate the significant increase in air traffic and established Atlanta as a major aviation hub.

The airport has been named Hartsfield-Jackson since 2003, honouring the visionary leadership and contributions of both mayors to the development and success of what is now the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic.

The airport covers 4,700 acres of land and has five parallel runways

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL) is a sprawling airport, covering 4,700 acres (7.3 sq mi; 19 km2) of land. This substantial area allows the airport to accommodate five parallel runways, all aligned in an east-west direction. The length of these runways varies, with three measuring 9,000 feet (2,743 m), one at 10,000 feet (3,048 m), and the longest runway, capable of handling the Airbus A380, stretching to 12,390 feet (3,776 m).

The airport's vast expanse of land is not limited to runways, as it also features two large terminals and seven concourses, providing a total of 192 gates for domestic and international flights. The Domestic Terminal, located on the west side, and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal on the east side, are connected by the Transportation Mall, an underground pedestrian tunnel with moving walkways and the Plane Train, an automated people mover.

The five parallel runways are spread across the north and south of the airport terminals. To the north lie runways 26R/08L and 26L/08R, while to the south are 27R/09L, 27L/09R, and 28/10. These runways are essential for the airport's operations, enabling it to handle a high volume of air traffic and facilitating efficient take-offs and landings.

The addition of the fifth runway, completed in 2006, was a significant undertaking. It required filling dirt up to eleven stories high in certain areas and resulted in changes to the surrounding landscape, including nearby cemeteries. This fifth runway was designed to ease traffic issues caused by the use of runways by both small- and large-sized aircraft, such as the Boeing 777.

The Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport's expansive infrastructure, including its five parallel runways, has played a pivotal role in making it the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic. In 2023, the airport served an impressive 104.6 million passengers, a testament to its capacity and efficient management of air traffic.

The airport is the world's busiest by passenger traffic and aircraft movements

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, also known as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield, or Hartsfield–Jackson, is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movements. It has held this title every year since 1998, except for 2020 when its passenger traffic decreased due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the airport served over 104.6 million passengers, the most of any airport in the world.

The airport is located 10 miles (16 km) south of Downtown Atlanta and covers 4,700 acres (7.3 sq mi; 19 km2) of land. It has five parallel runways, three of which are 9,000 feet (2,743 m) long, one that is 10,000 feet (3,048 m) long, and the longest runway at 12,390 feet (3,776 m) long, capable of handling the Airbus A380.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the primary international airport serving Atlanta and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. The airport is mostly in unincorporated areas of Clayton County but also spills into the city limits of Atlanta, College Park, and Hapeville, extending into Fulton County.

The airport is the corporate headquarters and primary hub of Delta Air Lines, with just over 1,000 flights a day to 225 domestic and international destinations. It is considered the world's largest airline hub and America's first mega-hub. Aside from Delta, the airport is also an operating base for low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines.

The airport has international service within North America and to Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia. It has two terminals and seven concourses with a total of 192 gates. The Domestic Terminal is on the west side, while the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal is on the east side. The Domestic Terminal has entrances on both sides, known as Domestic Terminal North and Domestic Terminal South.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is accessible via Interstate 85 SB or NB, connecting with other freeways within 10 miles: Interstate 285, Interstate 675, Georgia State Route 166, and Interstate 20. The airport also has its own train station on Atlanta's rapid transit system, MARTA, served by the Red and Gold lines.

The airport is the corporate headquarters and primary hub of Delta Air Lines

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the primary hub and corporate headquarters of Delta Air Lines. Delta has nine hubs in total, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its largest in terms of total passengers and number of departures. The airport is located 10 miles (16 km) south of the Downtown Atlanta district and covers 4,700 acres (7.3 sq mi; 19 km2) of land. It has five parallel runways, with the longest measuring 12,390 feet (3,776 m) and capable of handling the Airbus A380.

Delta operates over 5,400 flights daily and serves 325 destinations in 52 countries across six continents. The airline has its headquarters and primary maintenance base at Hartsfield–Jackson, which is also home to Delta's Technical Operations Centre, the airline's primary maintenance, repair, and overhaul arm.

Delta's hub at Hartsfield–Jackson includes operations on all seven concourses. The south side of Concourse T and Concourses A and B are used exclusively by Delta for mainline domestic flights, while the north side of Concourse C is used for regional flights operated as Delta Connection. Some Delta and Delta Connection flights also operate from Concourse D.

Hartsfield–Jackson has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 2021, serving over 104.6 million passengers in 2023. It is also the world's busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements. The airport is Delta's primary hub and is considered the first mega-hub in America.

Delta Air Lines is the United States' oldest operating airline and the seventh-oldest worldwide. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and operates significant hubs and key markets across the world, including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Bogota, Boston, Detroit, Lima, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Santiago (Chile), Sao Paulo, Seattle, Seoul-Incheon, and Tokyo.

Delta has a fleet of over 986 mainline aircraft, making it one of the two largest commercial airline fleets globally. The airline was ranked first in the annual rankings of top airlines by The Wall Street Journal in 2022, 2023, and 2024. It was also ranked first in the 2024 Readers' Choice Awards for Best Airlines in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler.

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