Tips for Departing ATL

Serving more than 250,000 guests per day, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is officially the busiest airport in the world in terms of both passenger traffic and flights. If you’re planning a trip to Atlanta, be sure to follow these tips to ensure a smooth return flight.

Transportation

ATL is conveniently located in the heart of metro Atlanta, making it accessible by shuttle, limo, taxi and car, but the easiest way of getting there is by rail, which will directly connect you to the domestic terminal. Downtown to the airport will take you about 20 minutes for just $2.50. Atlanta residents have several options for parking, including $36 per day, short-term parking and $16 per day, long-term parking with the option to make online reservations.

Security

With so many people coming through the doors, ATL makes a great effort to get people to their gates as quickly as possible. To deal with summer crowds, the airport hired 171 new TSA officers and implemented a series of smart security measures to reduce congestion, most notably the automated bins which increased processing by 66 percent per hour. For Memorial Day weekend, Hartsfield-Jackson claims a wait time of just 13.5 minutes to get through security.

Entertainment

To make things even easier, get the iFlyATL app, which provides real-time updates on parking and flight times. There’s also a lot of information on the airport’s food and retail offerings, as well as its famous art installations and galleries. ATL is also known for featuring live musical performances right in the terminals, but if that doesn’t interest you, there are lot of free WiFi hotspots, especially near the Delta Air Lines’ gates.