Hartsfield-Jackson: Atlanta's Airport Hub

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the primary international airport serving Atlanta and its surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the busiest airports in the world, serving over 100 million passengers annually. The airport is located 10 miles south of Downtown Atlanta and is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. ATL offers nonstop service to more than 150 domestic and 70 international destinations. The airport is easily accessible by car, shuttle, train, taxi, and rideshare services.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport: location, transport, and history

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located 10 miles (16 km) south of Downtown Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia. The airport covers 4,700 acres of land and has five parallel runways. It is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the primary airport serving Atlanta and its metropolitan area. It is mostly located in unincorporated areas of Clayton County, but it also extends into the city limits of Atlanta, College Park, and Hapeville, in Fulton County. The airport's domestic terminal is served by MARTA's Red and Gold rail lines.

The airport is recognised as the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movements. It is the corporate headquarters and primary hub of Delta Air Lines, with over 1,000 flights a day to 225 domestic and international destinations. In addition to Delta, the airport 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.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport has a rich history dating back to 1925. It began with a five-year, rent-free lease on 287 acres of land that was previously an abandoned auto racetrack called The Atlanta Speedway. The lease was signed by Mayor Walter Sims, who committed to developing the site into an airfield. The airfield was initially named Candler Field, after former Atlanta mayor and Coca-Cola tycoon Asa Candler. The first flight into Candler Field was a Florida Airways mail plane from Jacksonville, Florida, in September 1926.

Throughout the years, the airport underwent several expansions and name changes. In 1942, Candler Field was renamed Atlanta Municipal Airport, and by 1948, it surpassed one million passengers. In 1957, Atlanta welcomed its first jet airliner, and in 1961, a new $21 million terminal was opened, making it the largest in the country at the time. The airport was renamed William B. Hartsfield Atlanta Airport in 1971 after the former mayor of Atlanta, and subsequently, the name was changed again to William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport as the number of international flights grew.

In 1980, a new midfield terminal complex was opened to address the increasing air traffic. This complex was designed to accommodate up to 55 million passengers per year. In 1999, the airport launched the "Focus On the Future" development program to handle projected demand, with a budget of over $9 billion. In 2001, construction began on a fifth runway, which was completed in 2006, making Hartsfield–Jackson the nation's only active civil airport with a runway above an interstate.

In 2003, the airport was renamed Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport to honour former mayor Maynard Jackson. The airport continued to expand and improve its facilities, including the opening of the Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal in 2012. Today, the airport employs about 55,300 people and has a significant economic impact on the local and regional economy.

The airport's terminals, concourses, and gates

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has two terminals: the Domestic Terminal and the Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. International Terminal. The Domestic Terminal is further divided into north and south sectors, separated by an atrium. The North sector is home to airlines such as Southwest, United, Spirit, Alaska, and JetBlue, while the South sector is dominated by Delta Air Lines. The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal is located on the eastern side of the airport, with most international flights operating from Concourses E and F.

The airport has seven concourses in total, with a variety of shopping and dining options available. Concourses A, B, C, D, and T belong to the Domestic Terminal, while Concourses E and F are part of the International Terminal. Each concourse has multiple gates, with Concourse D having the most at 40 gates. Concourse T is unique in that it is the only concourse directly connected to the main Domestic Terminal building, with its own security checkpoints.

The concourses are arranged parallel to one another and are connected by the Plane Train, making transfers between gates and terminals quick and efficient. The Plane Train operates 24/7, with departures every 2 minutes. In addition to the Plane Train, passengers can also walk between concourses via the transportation mall, which features moving sidewalks and art exhibits.

The Domestic Terminal has three security checkpoints: the main checkpoint, the north checkpoint, and the south checkpoint. Once passengers clear security, they will arrive at Concourse T. Gates are marked according to their concourse, for example, T14 is in Concourse T.

The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal has separate levels for arrivals and departures. Level 0 is for arrivals, where passengers pass through customs and immigration before reaching baggage claim. Level 2 is for departures, with ticket counters, security checkpoints, and access to Concourses E and F. The Level 3 mezzanine houses VIP lounges and other amenities.

Airlines and destinations

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is a major hub in the global transportation network. It offers nonstop service to more than 150 domestic destinations and 70 international destinations.

The airport is the corporate headquarters and primary hub of Delta Air Lines, which operates over 1,000 flights a day to 225 domestic and international destinations. Delta's hub includes operations on all seven concourses. The south side of Concourse T and all of Concourses A and B are used exclusively by Delta for mainline domestic flights. Delta's regional flights (operated as Delta Connection) primarily operate from the north side of Concourse C.

In addition to Delta, other major airlines that use Hartsfield–Jackson as an operating base include 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.

Delta Air Lines:

• Guadalajara
• León/El Bajío
• Manzanillo
• Monterrey
• Querétaro
• Montréal–Trudeau
• Toronto–Pearson
• Paris–Charles de Gaulle
• Portland (OR)
• San Diego
• Seattle/Tacoma
• Charlotte
• Chicago–O'Hare
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• Phoenix–Sky Harbor
• Philadelphia
• Washington–National
• New Haven
• Wilmington (DE)
• Panama City–Tocumen
• Albany (NY)
• Albuquerque
• Amsterdam
• Antigua
• Aruba
• Asheville
• Augusta (GA)
• Austin
• Baltimore
• Barbados
• Barcelona
• Baton Rouge
• Belize City
• Birmingham (AL)
• Bogotá
• Boise
• Bonaire
• Boston
• Bozeman
• Buenos Aires–Ezeiza
• Buffalo
• Burbank
• Burlington (VT)
• Cancún
• Cape Town
• Cartagena
• Cedar Rapids/Iowa City
• Charleston (SC)
• Charlotte
• Charlottesville (VA)
• Chattanooga
• Chicago–Midway
• Chicago–O'Hare
• Cincinnati
• Cleveland
• Colorado Springs
• Columbia (SC)
• Columbus–Glenn
• Curaçao
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Dallas–Love
• Dayton
• Daytona Beach
• Denver
• Des Moines
• Destin/Fort Walton Beach
• Detroit
• Dublin
• El Paso
• Fayetteville/Bentonville
• Fayetteville (NC)
• Fort Lauderdale
• Fort Myers
• Frankfurt
• Fresno
• Gainesville
• Grand Cayman
• Grand Rapids
• Green Bay
• Greensboro
• Greenville/Spartanburg
• Guadalajara
• Guatemala City
• Gulfport/Biloxi

Airport facilities and amenities

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is a major hub in the global transportation network. The airport offers nonstop service to more than 150 domestic and 70 international destinations. It is also the first airport in the world to serve 100 million passengers in a single year.

The airport boasts one of the fastest processing times through customs and serves the global community with multilingual gate agents and directional signs. It also has over 300 dining and retail options, including restaurants, cafes, fast food joints, bars, luxury boutiques, duty-free shops, and convenience stores.

For those who need to relax, there are several VIP airline-operated and independent lounges with comfortable seating, complimentary snacks and beverages, workstations, and sometimes even shower facilities. For those travelling with children, there are play areas to keep young travellers engaged.

For those who need to get work done, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport offers free Wi-Fi. There are also currency exchange outlets, a chapel for prayer and meditation, and a pet relief area for those travelling with pets.

The airport is easily accessible by car, shuttle, train, taxi, rideshare, and bus.

Airport parking and ground transportation

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the primary airport serving Atlanta and its metropolitan area. It is one of the world's busiest airports by passenger traffic and aircraft movements. The airport offers a range of parking and ground transportation options for travellers.

Airport Parking:

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport offers both on-site and off-site parking options. On-site parking is available at the Domestic and International terminals, with hourly, daily, and economy parking options. The airport also provides a complimentary shuttle service at the Domestic Park-Ride, International Park Ride deck, and ATL Select locations.

For travellers seeking a reserved parking space, the airport offers an online reservation service. Additionally, there are off-site parking facilities located near the airport, such as The Parking Spot, which offers shuttle services to the Domestic and International terminals.

Ground Transportation:

The airport is easily accessible by road, with direct connections to Interstate 85, Interstate 75, and Camp Creek Parkway. Several private shuttle services, such as Jayride, offer transfers to and from the airport, providing a convenient and stress-free travel experience.

For those seeking public transportation options, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) operates Atlanta's local public transportation system, with the Red and Gold rail lines serving the Domestic Terminal. The airport also has a train station connected to the MARTA system, providing easy access to downtown Atlanta and other areas.

Taxi services are readily available at the Domestic and International terminals, with a set fee structure for trips to the central business district. Ride-sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, are also authorised to pick up passengers from the airport.

For travellers seeking a more luxurious option, limousine services are available, with over 200 companies providing transportation to and from the airport.

Additionally, the airport provides a Rental Car Center (RCC) located a few minutes away via the SkyTrain, an automated people mover system. The SkyTrain also connects to other facilities, including parking decks and nearby hotels.

Frequently asked questions