Navigating Hartsfield-Jackson: What to expect for Thanksgiving travel

Here’s a guide with the latest updates, so you’re prepared to navigate the world’s busiest airport and get to your destination safely.

GET TO THE AIRPORT EARLY

The best way to avoid missing your flight is to get to the airport early and allow extra time to navigate potential crowds and delays.

Hartsfield-Jackson is advising travelers to get to the airport at least 2½ hours before their domestic flight and at least 3 hours before their international flight.

You may need extra time to:

WHAT TO PACK

Credit: Steve Schaefer

Credit: Steve Schaefer

The Atlanta Police Department earlier this year announced a new policy to arrest people caught with loaded firearms in their bags and charge them with reckless conduct, a misdemeanor.

Previously, passengers who were caught with a gun at the checkpoint were taken to the airport’s police precinct for an investigation, but were not necessarily arrested, though they were subject to citations and fines.

MARTA

Consider taking MARTA to the airport. You can take a train to the MARTA Airport Station inside the domestic terminal. A few stations on the Red and Gold lines have long-term parking for $5 or $8 per day. Find more information on the MARTA website.

Earlier this year, the airport MARTA station was renovated with new floors and a mosaic art installation. Work continues on a massive overhaul of the station including a new canopy structure, elevators and other improvements.

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

PARKING

Parking is causing frustrations for many travelers because of construction closures and the shutdown of the South economy lot, which had 3,000 spaces.

The airport says it reaches capacity on a daily basis, especially at the South deck, and it expects to reach capacity at North and South decks during the holiday period.

Hourly parking costs $3 per hour for the first and second hours. Economy parking near the terminal costs $14 a day, while daily parking at the terminal is $19 a day.

There are a variety of off-airport parking lots along Camp Creek Parkway and other locations around the airport that take reservations. It’s a good idea to check with your off-airport parking lot operator for any changes or new policies.

Private off-airport parking lots can also fill up quickly, and may turn away motorists who don’t have a reservation. It’s a good idea to book a space online in advance.

Credit: Steve Schaefer

Credit: Steve Schaefer

The airport also takes reservations for its ATL West deck, ATL Select parking lot and international terminal parking decks.

The ATL West parking deck at 4199 SkyTrain Way in College Park is connected to the domestic terminal by SkyTrain and allows you to pay via Peach Pass. It costs $16 a day, which is more than economy parking but less than daily parking.

The ATL Select park-ride lot is located at 1800 Sullivan Road in College Park. The ATL Select lot costs $10 a day for uncovered parking, as does the Park Ride Lot. ATL Select covered parking costs $14 a day, the same rate as North economy parking.

CELLPHONE LOT

Hartsfield-Jackson’s cellphone lot is at 1920 Autoport Drive in College Park.

“Meeter-greeters” can head to the cellphone lot that sits west of the terminal to wait for arrivals. Motorists can follow signs to the cellphone lot on message boards along airport roads.

AIRPORT SECURITY

Hartsfield-Jackson has four checkpoints in the domestic terminal, including the Main, North, South and Lower North checkpoints.

If you’re a PreCheck member, go to the South checkpoint. Non-PreCheck members can use the Main or North checkpoints.

You can check the airport’s website at atl.com/times for security wait times.

STANDARD:

Standard TSA lines typically require travelers to remove their coats, shoes and belts. You may also need to remove electronics such as a laptop or iPad from your bag and put it into a bin for screening.

Credit: John Spink

Credit: John Spink

TSA PRECHECK:

There are TSA PreCheck lines at the domestic terminal at the South checkpoint, and PreCheck is sometimes expanded into lanes at the Main checkpoint as well.

At security checkpoints across the country, TSA PreCheck offers expedited screening, with the ability to keep on your shoes, belt and jacket. The cost to enroll in PreCheck is as low as $78 for five years. It costs about $69 to renew online.

TSA has encouraged travelers to sign up for PreCheck to get through screening more efficiently.

TSA PRECHECK TOUCHLESS ID:

If you use the Delta Digital ID line for a chance at a speedier path through the South checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson, you may have noticed that it’s now part of the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID line there.

The Touchless ID line allows passengers to have their identity verified using facial recognition instead of a driver’s license or ID check. To qualify for the line through Delta Digital ID requires a TSA PreCheck membership, a SkyMiles membership, adding passport information and a Known Traveler Number to your Delta profile ― and opting in through the Fly Delta app.

The Touchless ID line is sometimes shorter and quicker than the Clear line and regular PreCheck line — but there can be variation depending on the mix of travelers, the time of day and passenger volume.

CLEAR:

Biometric ID technology firm Clear operates specially designated security lines for its members at Hartsfield-Jackson. The company sells memberships for $199 a year, with discounts for Delta SkyMiles members.

Clear is also now enrolling travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson into the TSA PreCheck program, in addition to enrolling people into Clear’s own trusted traveler program.

RIDESHARE PICKUP ZONES

The airport has a Rideshare Pickup Zone near the Terminal North economy lot, about a five-minute walk from the terminal.

The pickup zones are for users of Uber and Lyft, as well as customers of HERide, a female-friendly ride-share app that launched in Atlanta in September.

There are no rideshare pickup areas at Terminal South. Drop-offs before your flight will still be at curbside.

To get to the Rideshare Pickup Zone, walk through the Terminal North baggage claim, then take an escalator down to the lower level. Exit out to the curbside and follow orange signs to walk across the crosswalk, go into the parking deck, turn left at the sign and follow the path. Cross over another crosswalk to the pickup zone and then request your ride after arriving.

Credit: undefined

Credit: undefined

AT THE AIRPORT

TERMINAL ACCESS: Hartsfield-Jackson earlier this year announced new restrictions on access to the terminal and other airport facilities 24/7. The only people who the airport says are permitted to go to the airport are ticketed passengers, workers, people meeting and greeting passengers “and others who have legitimate business to conduct at the airport.”

However, the policy isn’t noticeable to most. According to Hartsfield-Jackson, police officers may approach people to “verify their purpose” at the airport. “Individuals may be asked to show their boarding pass or proof of airport business.”

MEETER-GREETERS: Hartsfield-Jackson in April installed a huge video screen in the domestic terminal that displays passengers coming up the escalators from the Plane Train tunnel.

The reason: A new elevator bank now blocks the view that people waiting for their friends or family once had of the crowds of arriving passengers. The airport built the new elevator bank for the baggage claim station.

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

CONCOURSE D CONSTRUCTION: Passengers headed to Concourse D may see construction zones, as the airport works on a yearslong project to widen that concourse. Work is also underway on an extension of Concourse E.

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES: There are upper-level pedestrian bridges connecting the domestic terminal to the upper levels of the Terminal South and Terminal North parking decks. Take elevators or stairs up from the parking decks to reach the pedestrian bridges that connect to the terminal.

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

CENTURION LOUNGE

There’s now a Centurion Lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Opened in February, it’s part of an American Express line of clubs at airports around the world known for a wide array of complimentary food and creature comforts.

The Atlanta location is the largest Centurion Lounge in the world at 26,000 square feet, including a whiskey bar, outdoor terraces, shower suites and private booths for phone calls.

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

LONG LINES FOR LOUNGES

If you have access to an airport lounge during your trip, whether it’s a Delta Sky Club or Centurion Lounge or The Club at ATL, be aware that some of them have long lines and wait times to enter during peak periods.

CONCESSIONS

Several new eateries have opened over the last year at Hartsfield-Jackson:

Concourse T: Cantina Laredo and Dunkin’

Concourse T North extension: Vino Volo, Southern National/Pizzaboxx, Starbucks and Tropical Smoothie

Concourse A: Sambazon Açaí Bowls

Concourse B: Georgia Lottery

Concourse D food court: Bang House Pizza, Lemonade (California-inspired fresh and healthy food) and KOHO (kolaches)

Hartsfield-Jackson has information on its website on concessions, or read the AJC’s comprehensive guide to eating in the airport.

If you buy food in the domestic terminal before going through security, be aware that you cannot bring liquids of more than 3.4 ounces through the security checkpoint and officers may ask travelers to separate some food from carry-ons for screening in X-ray machines.

Although you can’t bring beverages through screening, you can bring an empty water bottle from home and fill it up at filling stations on the concourses, or you can buy a beverage after passing through security.

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

AIRLINES

Delta offers free Wi-Fi on much of its fleet, but will continue into 2025 with installations of free Wi-Fi on remaining international and regional jets.

Major carriers including Delta have discontinued many of their change fees, making it easier for people to change their travel plans.

Delta earlier this year increased its fees for checked bags by $5. Its fee for a first checked bag increased to $35, from $30 previously. Its fee for a second checked bag increased to $45, from $40 previously. The higher fees apply to Delta passengers taking U.S. domestic flights and many flights to the Caribbean and Central America.

NEW REFUND RULES

In October, new federal airline refund rules took effect. The new regulation requires airlines to give automatic refunds when they cancel or significantly change a flight and customers choose not to accept their other options and decide not to travel.

And for the first time, regulations define what a “significant change” is for changes to departure or arrival time — setting it at more than three hours for domestic flights and more than six hours for international flights.

Also qualifying as a significant change to trigger a refund is an increase in the number of connections, connections at airports different from those in the original reservation, a downgrade to a lower class of service or a change in aircraft that is less accessible for a person with a disability.

The rule finalized earlier this year also says passengers are entitled to a refund of fees they pay for extra services, such as in-flight Wi-Fi if an airline charges a fee and fails to provide the service. It also says passengers are entitled to a refund of baggage fees if their checked bag is not delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight arrival.

Credit: John Spink

Credit: John Spink

ONLINE PASSPORT RENEWAL

You can now renew your passport online, if you’re 25 years old or older and have had a passport before. The U.S. Department of State launched the new online passport renewal process in September.

Even though it’s easier to apply for renewal, you may still have to wait six to eight weeks to get your new passport. So make sure you start the process months before you’ll need the new passport for an upcoming international trip.

GLOBAL ENTRY

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Nov. 18 launched Global Entry enrollment on departure from Hartsfield-Jackson, allowing those who apply for its Global Entry trusted traveler program and get conditional approval to complete their interview at the airport, on Concourse E.

AIRLINES AT HARTSFIELD-JACKSON

TERMINAL SOUTH

TERMINAL NORTH

INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL

Find more travel tips at ajc.com/travel.