Essential Atlanta Airport Tips: Your Comprehensive Pre-Flight Guide

Here’s what you need to know before traveling to ATL, one of the world’s busiest airports.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is one of the world’s busiest airports, with tens of millions of passengers traveling through its terminals every year. Located south of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the airport offers flights to 150 domestic and 75 international destinations, with an average of 2,700 arrivals and departures every day. The airport is expansive — the terminal complex covers more than 150 acres and has a total of 192 gates — so it can be overwhelming for both seasoned and first-time fliers. Because it’s one of the world’s busiest hubs, you’ll want to arrive early to get through check-in and security lines and allow plenty of time for your layover (especially if you are traveling internationally). Whether you’re at ATL for a layover or starting your journey here, we’ve rounded up the most important information to know before visiting the Atlanta airport, starting with an Atlanta airport map.

Atlanta Airport Map

Atlanta Airport Terminals

At either end of the airport, you’ll find the domestic terminal and the international terminal; between those are concourses T, A, B, C, D, E, and F. The Plane Train connects all the terminals and concourses so travelers can easily transfer between sections. Throughout the airport, there are hundreds of shops, restaurants, and services, with everything from local eateries to duty-free stores.

The domestic terminal has a number of places to grab food and shop, including national chains like Starbucks, TGI Fridays, Popeyes, and more, plus newsstands, a USO lounge, an interfaith chapel, and a pet relief area.

Concourse T has three airline lounges (for American, Delta, and United), several dining locations including Bojangles, Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Cafe, and Subway, a nursing station, service animal relief area, a Minute Suites, newsstands, and more.

Concourse A has over 20 eateries and bars, including P.F. Chang’s, SweetWater Brewing Co., Dunkin’, and more, and there is a Delta Sky Club. Services include a service animal relief area and currency exchange, plus there are shops like Tumi, MAC Cosmetics, and a CVS Pharmacy kiosk, just to name a few.

Concourse B similarly has plenty of shopping and dining outlets to choose from, including Blue Moon Brewhouse, Asian Chao, Peet’s Coffee, Kiehl’s, Sunglass Icon, and more. There is a Delta Sky Club, and other services include a nursing station, a service animal relief area, and a Minute Suites.

Concourse C has Starbucks, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Chick-fil-A, and LongHorn Steakhouse, among other eateries, plus shops like InMotion Entertainment. There is no airline lounge in this concourse, and other services include a service animal relief area and a smoking lounge.

Concourse D restaurants include the Atlanta Braves All Star Grill, Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, and more; the concourse also has stores like Brookstone, The Market by Food & Wine, and Johnston & Murphy. There is also a Delta Sky Club. A nursing station, service animal relief area, and currency exchange are available in this concourse, too.

Concourse E dining and shopping locations include The Bar, Best Buy Express, Headphone Hub, and more. There is no airline lounge in this concourse, and there is a nursing station, service animal relief area, and interfaith chapel.

The international terminal and Concourse F offer duty-free shopping plus stores like Tumi and Brookstone. Dining options include Pei Wei Asian Diner and Starbucks, and there are two lounges: a Delta Sky Club and The Club at ATL (which offers entry to Priority Pass holders and paying customers). This area also has an interfaith chapel, a nursing station, and a service animal relief area.

ATL Airlines

Domestic airlines servicing the airport include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Boutique Air, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, which claims the airport as a major hub. International airlines serving ATL include Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.

Atlanta Airport Parking and Ground Transportation

There are several parking lots at the Atlanta airport, with rates per day ranging from $10 for park and ride to $36 for hourly lots. You can find the current status of the parking lots and see which have availability on the ATL website. There are several off-site, privately owned airport parking providers, too, for those who don’t mind parking a bit farther away — a full list is available on the airport’s website.

If you’re not driving, taxis, Uber, and Lyft can take you to or from the airport, or you can opt for a shared ride shuttle. ATL Airport Shuttle, Airport Perimeter Connection, Atlanta Hotels Connection, Galleria Direct, Inc., Greater Atlanta Shuttle, Inc., North Express Airport Shuttle, and Train Xpress offer transportation to and from Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead. There are also shuttle services for nearby counties and states within the region.

You can also take MARTA (the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) to the airport’s domestic terminal via the Red and Gold lines. If you’re departing from the international terminal, you can either check in from the domestic terminal (if your airline allows), or take the free shuttle to the international terminal. You can also take a Greyhound to the airport from some cities.

The Rental Car Center, which has several car rental companies, is connected to the airport via SkyTrain. The SkyTrain also links a parking deck, the Georgia International Convention Center, Gateway Center Arena, and several airport gateway hotels.

Atlanta Airport Hotels

There are 30 Atlanta airport hotels, including the Atlanta Airport Marriott, The Westin Atlanta Airport, Kimpton Overland Hotel, and more. Many of these hotels also offer complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport.