4M expected to pass through Atlanta airport during Christmas/NYE holiday period

ATLANTA - Holiday travelers passing through Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are advised to prepare for increased traffic as the holiday travel season begins in earnest. TSA Administrator David Pekoske has cautioned that if an extended federal government shutdown happens, passengers could experience longer wait times at security checkpoints.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipates screening approximately 40 million passengers nationwide through Jan. 2, with nearly 4 million of those travelers expected to pass through Atlanta's airport.

Steady traffic at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

Good Day reporter Brooke Zauner, reporting live from Hartsfield-Jackson, noted that while lines are moving steadily, the volume is noticeably higher than during previous holidays like Thanksgiving. Wait times are averaging around 15 minutes, well below TSA's 30-minute target. Airport officials estimate 3.7 million travelers will pass through Hartsfield-Jackson between now and Jan. 5, with Dec. 27 expected to be the busiest day, as more than 327,000 passengers are predicted to travel that day alone.

Zauner spoke with holiday travelers who shared practical advice: "Be patient, arrive early, and remember everyone’s trying to reach their destination."

Real-Time updates for travelers

To assist passengers, the airport has installed monitors and totems displaying real-time wait times at security checkpoints. As of this morning, wait times were reported at 14 minutes, indicated by a green status on the monitors. Travelers are also encouraged to check the airport’s website, ATL.com, for parking updates, as ongoing construction has impacted available spaces.

As the holiday season ramps up, travelers are reminded to stay informed, plan ahead, and practice patience to navigate the busiest travel days successfully.

Atlanta airport customer service reps

"Hello, welcome," Ivelisse Falcon-Rodriguez told customers Friday.

Falcon-Rodriguez is one of roughly 200 Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Customer Service Representatives. She says her job is all about service with a smile.

"When you come to work every day, what's your goal," FOX 5’s Tyler Fingert asked.

"My goal is to help passengers, helping people," she responded.

The team guides travelers at the World’s Busiest Airport. The job is even more important around holidays like Christmas when passenger counts are up. Over the next two weeks or so, 3.7 million travelers will to fly to, through and from ATL.

"Today this airport had lines all over the place," Falcon-Rodriguez said.

Those crowds are expected to continue into the New Year. The airport leans on technology to keep passengers moving. The ‘Green Coats’ will monitor security wait times at the checkpoints and push people to whichever one is quickest.  

"Technology is everything to us right now in this kind of situation, especially when we are crowded, that technology is the best," Falcon-Rodriguez said.

Last Christmas, FOX 5 put the airport’s wait time estimator to the test and found it can be an accurate way to gauge the crowds. While the airport is the world’s busiest, leaders say their goal is to be the most efficient too.

"You want to have as many tools as possible in place to give our customers the best experience when they're traveling," said Herschel Grangent Jr.

For Falcon-Rodriguez this is year 29 in the aviation world and the holiday season is her favorite time as she meets new people who do not always travel.

Holiday travel ramps up at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport

The holiday travel rush is in full swing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, with millions of passengers expected to pass through its gates between now and January 5. Friday marks one of the busiest travel days of the season, with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) predicting it will screen more than 103,000 passengers on peak days at the world’s busiest airport.

Families are reuniting, and travelers are making their way to loved ones as they celebrate the holiday season. Despite crowded terminals, passengers say the experience has been smooth overall.

"Flights are very crowded," said Russell Zack, who, along with his wife and children, flew through Atlanta en route from Newark, New Jersey, to Alabama. "We had a little bit of a delay because of the weather, but so far, so good."

Hartsfield-Jackson expects to live up to its reputation, screening an estimated 3.7 million passengers during the holiday period. Gabby Daniels, who traveled from Islip, New York, described her experience. "When I got here, it definitely seemed like the busiest," she said. "But it’s been good."

Travel professionals are optimistic about the holiday season, even as they brace for heavy crowds nationwide. "I think we’re going to have a really good, smooth holiday travel season," said Nita Cooper, travel director with Stars-N-Skyes Travel. She predicts over 40 million passengers will travel by air this season. "I can think of extreme lines, and I just hope people are better prepared," Cooper added.

The travel surge comes amid a sigh of relief for many, as lawmakers in Washington appear to have averted a government shutdown at the eleventh hour. The potential shutdown had raised concerns about widespread travel disruptions if TSA and FAA workers had been forced to call out. "That’s good news," Cooper said. "I’m actually happy that we can keep everybody working and moving."

While most passengers have navigated the airport without significant issues, there have been over 488 delays at Hartsfield-Jackson so far, though cancellations remain low at just seven. Cooper offered a reminder for travelers to plan ahead: "Get to the airport three hours ahead of your flight."

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