Jazmin Li
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the busiest airport in the world, with over 104 million passengers passing through its concourses each year. The airport is located in the heart of the United States, in the state of Georgia, and serves as a pivotal hub for travellers, connecting them to a vast network of domestic and international destinations. With around 2,100 arrivals and departures each day, Atlanta Airport is a frequent destination and stopover point for many global travellers. The airport offers world-class dining, unique shopping experiences, restful spots to relax, and much more. In this guide, we will explore the best things to see and do at Atlanta Airport, as well as provide essential travel tips for navigating this bustling aviation hub.
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What You'll Learn
Where to eat and drink
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the busiest airport in the world, with over 104 million passengers travelling through its concourses each year. It is renowned for its impressive array of dining options, unique shops, and restful spots to relax.
If you're looking for a quick bite, Atlanta Airport offers plenty of to-go spots, including the cult-favourite Chick-fil-A, which serves delicious chicken sandwiches. Atlanta Bread Company is another great option for a quick meal, and for those with a sweet tooth, there's Krispy Kreme. For a more substantial meal, sit-down restaurants like Chicken + Beer and One Flew South offer a taste of Southern cooking. For a more exclusive experience, The Club at ATL provides a tranquil escape from the bustling airport with its contemporary ambiance, complimentary Wi-Fi, refreshments, and additional amenities.
If you're craving Asian cuisine, P.F. Chang's in Terminal A offers a secluded dining experience with excellent food and drinks, along with friendly staff. Ecco and El Taco are also popular choices for travellers looking for a taste of local Atlanta cuisine.
For a quick refresh, you can rent a shower facility at Minute Suites for a reasonable rate, and combine it with a suite rental for added convenience.
With its vast options for dining, drinking, and relaxation, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ensures that your time spent waiting or transiting is anything but dull.
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Art and music
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is not just a hub for travel, but also a destination for art and music enthusiasts. With over 1,000 artworks, it is one of the largest public art sites in the Southeastern United States. The airport's art program, ATL Airport Art, integrates art into the daily fabric of the airport for the benefit of passengers and employees. The program commissions site-specific artwork, produces and curates rotating exhibits, and manages performances and artist programming.
A variety of media are represented in the airport's art collection, including sculptures, installations, photography, and multimedia works. One notable example is "Mammatus" by Atlanta artist Chris Moulder, a suspended sculpture made from eight miles of metal beading looped in intersecting curves and bathed in a changing wash of colours by a computer-operated LED light system. Visitors can also experience "Light Waves: Atlanta" by Christopher Janney, an interactive installation where additional sound is triggered by touching hand-shaped panels on the lower portion of the wall.
The airport also features rotating exhibits, such as "Picturing Georgia," a low-tech, temporary exhibition of large back-lit photos showcasing Georgia's natural beauty and its photographers, curated by Corinne Adams and ACP Executive Director Amy Miller. The airport's underground concourse connecting Terminals B and C displays a multimedia history of Atlanta, created in collaboration with artist Gary Moss and historians at the Atlanta History Center.
In addition to its visual arts offerings, the airport also has a musical side. Following the 1996 Olympics, David Vogt and Lamar Renford developed several annual music series. The airport has also showcased the work of local musicians, such as the tribute to civil rights icon and Georgia congressman John Lewis, dedicated in April 2019, which includes artefacts, videos, and photos from his life.
The ATL Airport Art Program is managed by a team of curators and program coordinators, including Benjamin Austin, Pre Reid, and Jess Bernhart. The program accepts proposals on an ongoing basis and offers tours of the artworks for artists, curators, and galleries.
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Lounges and spas
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the busiest airport in the world, with over 104 million passengers travelling through its concourses each year. The airport is located in the heart of the United States, in the state of Georgia, and is a mere 7 miles from Atlanta's bustling financial district.
The Club at ATL is an exclusive pay-to-access lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It offers a tranquil escape from the bustling airport environment, with complimentary Wi-Fi, refreshments, and other amenities. Minute Suites, located in Terminals A, C, D, and E, provides rentable shower facilities and private suites. Delta Sky Clubs can be found at every terminal, with the Terminal F location boasting abundant seating, a full bar, and a Sky Deck overlooking the runway. Access to Delta Sky Clubs may depend on your status level.
For a more indulgent experience, XpresSpa offers massages, facials, and nail treatments to help relieve travel-induced stress and tension. Sanctifly members can use their passes to receive a $30 voucher for XpresSpa services.
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$9.99
Transport and parking
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is located in the south of the city, 10 miles from Downtown Atlanta. It is the busiest airport in the world, with over 104 million passengers travelling through each year.
The easiest way to get to the airport is by taking the MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) rail directly to the airport station. You can purchase a MARTA pass and take a Red or Gold line train south to the Airport Station. Several of MARTA's bus lines also connect to the airport, especially for neighbourhoods on the south side (89 and 93). Rideshare and taxi options will drop off at the departures area, but you will need to account for Atlanta's notoriously bad traffic. The same goes if you are driving yourself. There are several off-site parking lots, including the official airport ones, and ParkATL Select allows passengers to go through an expedited security line. With 30,000+ public parking spaces, parking options are ample.
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Attractions and sightseeing
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is located in the heart of the United States and is the busiest airport in the nation, serving as a pivotal hub for travellers. The airport boasts swift customs processing, a wide variety of dining options, unique shops, restful spots, and other amenities.
The airport itself has plenty of attractions to keep you entertained during a layover. The airport displays permanent and rotating art collections, and local musicians often perform in the Atrium. The tunnels connecting the terminals feature different installations and exhibits, including a rainforest tunnel. The airport also has a piano player in the food court area.
If you're looking for a quiet place to relax or get some work done, many airport lounges invite travellers from any flight class to check in and take advantage of quieter, comfier spaces, food, news, and WiFi. Some lounges even offer shower facilities. The Club at ATL, for example, offers a tranquil environment with complimentary Wi-Fi, refreshments, and other amenities.
For those looking to explore beyond the airport, the city of Atlanta is easily accessible via the MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) train system. However, keep in mind that Atlanta's roads can be busy, so leave plenty of time if you're travelling during rush hour. The city has a lot to offer, including:
- World of Coca-Cola
- Georgia Aquarium, one of the largest in the world
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
- Centennial Park, home of the 1996 Summer Olympics
- High Museum of Art, known for its architecture
- Zoo Atlanta
- Delta Flight Museum
- Chick-fil-A Home Office Backstage Tour
- Porsche Experience Center
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Frequently asked questions
Atlanta Airport has a wide variety of food options, including local restaurants with airport outposts, such as Ecco and El Taco, as well as fast-food spots like Chick-fil-A and Krispy Kreme. If you have more time, there are sit-down restaurants that offer a taste of Southern cooking, including Chicken + Beer and One Flew South.
Atlanta Airport is known for its art and performances, so you can expect to find new artwork and performances by local musicians during your time there. The airport also has many lounges that offer quieter, comfier spaces, food, news, and WiFi. If you want to leave the airport, you can take the MARTA train to various city points for some sightseeing.
Atlanta Airport has many popular shops, including bookstores, newsstands, travel amenities, and electronic entertainment. You can find boutiques like Coach and Pandora, as well as duty-free shops and skincare stores like L'Occitane and Kiehl's.
Kid-friendly sites near Atlanta Airport include the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. The airport itself also has a Delta Flight Museum with a flight simulator and the Porsche Experience Center with a driving school and test track.
The easiest way to get to Atlanta Airport is by taking the MARTA rail directly to the airport station, which is a short escalator ride from the check-in counters. You can also take a rideshare or taxi, but be aware that Atlanta is known for its heavy traffic.
