The sprawling project to upgrade security screening equipment at the Atlanta airport’s domestic terminal is now finished, expanding capacity just in time for the holiday travel rush after 19 months of abnormally long lines and headaches for travelers.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said it has completed the $66 million security checkpoint project, which started in May 2022. Construction closed up to four lanes at a time to replace 19 X-ray machines with new computed tomography machines that generate higher quality 3-D images for security screeners.
The plan to reopen all lanes at the main checkpoint Thursday morning will increase the capacity to screen thousands of passengers an hour during the upcoming year-end rush.
Hartsfield-Jackson expects to handle more than 3.3 million passengers during the holiday period from Friday, Dec. 22, through Sunday, Jan. 2.
The busiest day is expected to be Friday, Dec. 22, when more than 327,000 people are expected to pass through the Atlanta airport.
Though capacity will be improved, lines at the world’s busiest airport will still be long during peak periods. Travelers should check the airport website, atl.com, for updated security wait time information. Wait times can vary greatly by time of day.
Airport officials are now advising passengers to get to the airport at least 2.5 hours before their domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights. Those who need wheelchair assistance or other special services should allow extra time.
AAA said this week it expects a record number of people in Georgia to travel for the Christmas and year-end holiday period, including those driving.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines said it expects to handle nearly 9 million customers from Dec. 21 through Jan. 7, and is advising its customers to get to the airport at least three hours before their flights.
The Hartsfield-Jackson security upgrades were one of two major construction projects that have created hassles for departing passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson. The other is a multi-year project to reinforce and eventually replace parking decks at the North and South domestic terminals, which has reduced parking next to the terminal and forced many travelers to search for other places to park while rushing to catch flights.
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