Navigating the Nation’s Busiest Airport and More: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
You might think that an airport in California, New York, Chicago or even Texas would be the nation’s busiest. However, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) has been ranked as the nation’s busiest airport by passenger volume since 1998. In 2019 alone, ATL processed approximately 110 million travelers and over 901,000 flights.
On average, close to 300,000 people travel through the doors of ATL every day. If you have a trip coming up that takes you to or through Atlanta, there’s no need to stress because Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is run efficiently – you just have to be prepared appropriately.
Plan Ahead – Map Your Route
It’s important to know that ATL’s terminals are connected by multiple trains in addition to walkable corridors. So, if your connection is in a different terminal than your arrival flight, you’ll need to determine the best way to get to your connection and on time. One easy step is to look at a map of the airport to visualize where you’ll be landing and departing. Besides specific maps of the terminals, there are also maps that list shopping, dining, ground transportation, and parking, so with a pre-plan, you can easily navigate your way throughout the airport.
Travel to and from the Airport
Locals know how to navigate the Atlanta streets best (with some of the nation’s worst traffic). and the same can be true with getting to the airport itself.
One way to get there is via the public train transportation system. MARTA has a line that terminates at the airport, and you can grab it from any number of stops throughout metro Atlanta. At times, however, MARTA is crowded or slow, depending on the time of day.
Another option, is to hire a reliable chauffeured ground transportation service such as Dav El|BostonCoach. Our expert drivers can get you to your ticketing and check-in gate quickly and safely, and you don’t have to worry about the hassle of an airport transfer.
The official Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport fact sheet states that “Atlanta is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the United States population.” Combine that with the 2,700 arrival and departures a day, and you can see why it is the nation’s busiest. But with a little planning before, during, and after, you should experience a stress-free trip.