Hartsfield-Jackson Travel Guide: Tips to get you through Atlanta's airport during the holiday travel period
ATLANTA - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport expects to host more than 3.7 million travelers from Dec. 20 to Jan 4.
Flying can be stressful, even without a surge in travelers and new procedures for security and health purposes.
COVID-19 CASE SURGE RAISES HOLIDAY TRAVEL CONCERNS
Here's how airport administration and staff are working to make the travel experience safer, and advice on how to get to your gate on time and get home for the holidays:
How early should you arrive at the Atlanta airport?
Airport officials recommend passengers arrive inside at least two hours before your domestic flight is set to depart.
That recommendation increases to three hours before international flights.
Make sure you know which terminal to go to check in a bag or print a boarding pass.
Plan for time to walk or take ground transportation from your parking lot.
Atlanta airport security wait times
The Atlanta airport website offers estimates on security checkpoint wait times.
Before you grab a coffee or bite to eat in the domestic terminal, make sure you won't fall behind schedule to get to your concourse and gate.
You can also follow airport social media accounts for timely updates
Atlanta airport parking information
Atlanta's airport has 11 main parking lots either walking distance or a shuttle trip from the terminals. All were open to start the holiday travel season.
Driving directions to the Domestic and International Terminal parking lots are online.
The airport also provides information about parking rates, which vary based on the lot and time spent in the lot. There are also nearby parking services that provide shuttles to the airport.
Airport officials recommend using public transit or ride-sharing, such as MARTA, Lyft, Uber and taxis. Ride-share pickup locations recently moved to the lower level of the north terminal.
Do you need a COVID-19 test, proof of vaccination to travel?
The Atlanta airport does not require passengers to undergo COVID-19 testing but airlines provide unique information on COVID-19 policies and procedures.
The CDC recommends travelers get tested one to three days before traveling, three to five days after and stay home for seven days.
Other security and enhancements
When post-pandemic travel increased, managers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport discussed security upgrades, including several hundred new hi-tech cameras that turn 360 degrees.
A door on the south terminal near the Delta ticket counter is now an electronic, turnstile style door that allows one passenger at a time to go through.
Officers and agents with multiple law enforcement agencies — the Atlanta Police Department, Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection — provide security and oversight at the airport.