Hartsfield Airport: Exploring Its County Location And More

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the primary international airport serving Atlanta and its surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Georgia. The airport is located 10 miles (16 km) south of Downtown Atlanta and is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. With 80% of the airport in Clayton County, it is the busiest airport in the world, serving 150 U.S. destinations and more than 75 international destinations in 50 countries.

The airport is in Clayton County, Georgia

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL) is located in Clayton County, Georgia. The airport is 10 miles (16km) south of the Downtown Atlanta district and is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson.

Hartsfield–Jackson covers 4,700 acres of land and has five parallel runways aligned in an east-west direction. The airport has been the world's busiest by passenger traffic since 1998, excluding 2020 when travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic were in place. On average, there are 2,700 arrivals and departures daily, with 275,000 passengers passing through.

The airport has its own train station on Atlanta's rapid transit system, MARTA, served by the Red and Gold lines. The airport is also accessible by several local shared-ride shuttle services. The Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center houses ten airport rental agencies, with parking for 9,900 cars across two four-story parking decks.

Hartsfield–Jackson is the state's largest employment operation, with over 63,000 employees across various sectors, including airline, ground transportation, security, and federal government. The airport is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the United States population and serves 150 US destinations and more than 75 international destinations in 50 countries.

It's named after former Atlanta mayors

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the primary international airport serving Atlanta and its surrounding metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Georgia. The airport is located 10 miles (16 km) south of the Downtown Atlanta district. It is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson.

William B. Hartsfield was one of Atlanta's greatest mayors, serving for six terms (1937-41, 1942-61), longer than any other person in the city's history. He was also the longest-serving mayor of his native Atlanta, Georgia. Hartsfield was first elected Mayor of Atlanta in January 1937. When he took office, the city was $3 million in debt due to the Great Depression. However, Hartsfield quickly turned around the city's finances. He is credited with developing Atlanta into the aviation powerhouse that it is today and with building its image as "the City Too Busy to Hate."

In 1971, the airport was named William B. Hartsfield Atlanta Airport in honour of Hartsfield after his death. The name change took effect on what would have been his 81st birthday. However, the name was changed later that same year to William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport to reflect the growth of international flights to and from Atlanta.

Maynard Jackson was also a prominent figure in Atlanta's history. In 1977, construction began on the present midfield terminal complex at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport under his administration. It was billed as the largest construction project in the South, costing $500 million. In 2003, the Atlanta City Council voted to add Jackson's name to the airport's moniker to honour the former mayor, who had died four months prior.

In addition to Hartsfield and Jackson, it is worth noting that the airport's history includes another former Atlanta mayor, Asa Candler. The airport began as a five-year, rent-free lease on 287 acres of land that was once an abandoned auto racetrack called The Atlanta Speedway. The lease was signed in 1925 by Mayor Walter Sims, who committed to transforming the site into an airfield. The property was renamed Candler Field after its former owner, Asa Candler, a Coca-Cola tycoon and former Atlanta mayor.

It's the world's busiest airport

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located in the US state of Georgia, 10 miles (16 km) south of the Downtown Atlanta district. Named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson, the airport has been the world's busiest by passenger traffic since 1998, except in 2020 when travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic affected its passenger numbers.

The airport covers 4,700 acres of land (7.3 sq mi; 19 km2) and has five parallel runways aligned in an east-west direction. Three runways are 9,000 feet (2,743 m) long, one is 10,000 feet (3,048 m), and the longest measures 12,390 feet (3,776 m), accommodating the Airbus A380. On average, there are 2,700 arrivals and departures each day, serving 150 US destinations and 75 international destinations in 50 countries. The airport also has three main air cargo complexes (North, Midfield, and South), a Perishables Complex, and a USDA Propagated Plant Inspection Station.

Hartsfield–Jackson has its own train station on Atlanta's rapid transit system, MARTA, served by the Red and Gold lines. The airport station is currently the southernmost station in the MARTA system, with expansions further south into Clayton County having been discussed. The airport also offers several local shared-ride shuttle services and houses all ten airport rental agencies in its Rental Car Center, which has a capacity of 9,900 parking spaces.

Hartsfield–Jackson is a significant economic hub, generating a $34.8 billion impact for metro Atlanta and providing the state's largest employment operation with over 63,000 jobs across various sectors. The airport is also home to the tallest air traffic control tower in North America, standing at 398 feet (121 meters) and ranking fourth tallest worldwide.

It has five parallel runways

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located in the US state of Georgia. It is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. The airport covers 4,700 acres of land and has five parallel runways aligned in an east-west direction.

The airport's five parallel runways are laid out in a simple configuration, with the terminal area situated between the two northern runway pairs. There are three runways that are 9,000 feet long, one runway that is 10,000 feet long, and the longest runway, which measures 12,390 feet, can accommodate the Airbus A380. The construction of the fifth runway, which opened in 2006, cost $1.28 billion. This runway bridges Interstate 285 on the airport's south side, making Hartsfield–Jackson the only active civil airport in the US with a runway above an interstate.

The airport has been the world's busiest by passenger traffic since 1998, excluding 2020 when travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic reduced passenger numbers. On average, the airport handles 275,000 passengers and 2,700 arrivals and departures daily.

It has its own train station

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located in the US state of Georgia, 10 miles (16 km) south of Downtown Atlanta. The airport is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson.

Hartsfield–Jackson has its own train station, which is part of Atlanta's rapid transit system, MARTA. The above-ground station is located inside the main building, between the north and south domestic terminals on the west end. The Airport station is currently the southernmost station in the MARTA system, with connections to the Red and Gold lines.

The Red and Gold rail lines also serve the airport's domestic terminal. The MARTA system has been discussed for potential expansion via metro or commuter rail further south into Clayton County.

In addition to the train station, several local shared-ride shuttle services are available at the airport, providing travellers with convenient transportation options. The Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center, which opened in 2009, houses ten airport rental agencies and has capacity for additional companies. The complex includes two four-story parking decks with 9,900 parking spaces, covering 2.8 million square feet.

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