The new $1.4 billion, 1.2 million-square-foot Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal opens May 16, introducing a second front door for the airport along with a new 12-gate Concourse F.
Among airport managers’ biggest concerns is whether travelers will be able to find their way to the new terminal. That’s because international travelers will have to make a huge adjustment in their route to the airport by taking I-75 to get to the international terminal entrance on the east side of the airport.
Domestic travelers will continue to take the normal route to the main terminal off I-85.
The new complex includes an additional entry and exit for the airport, security checkpoints, another U.S. Customs facility, two more parking structures, an extension of the people-mover train and a baggage claim area.
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Frequently asked questions
Q: How will international travelers get to the international terminal?
A: Take I-75, exit 239. New highway signs will be unveiled when the terminal opens. Detailed directions
Q: Where can international travelers park at the international terminal?
A: The new international terminal has a short-term hourly parking garage, as well as a long-term park-ride garage with a 3-minute shuttle bus ride to the terminal, and a Gold Reserve parking lot that requires registration. There will not be daily parking or walkable economy parking lots like the main terminal. International Terminal parking information
Q: What if I go to the wrong terminal?
A: In some cases, you may not be able to check in for your flight or check your bag if you’re at the wrong terminal. But don’t worry, you can take a shuttle bus to get to the correct terminal. At the main terminal, the shuttle will be at the ground transportation center on the west end of the terminal. Getting from one terminal to the other will take 12 minutes. International travelers in particular may want to allow some extra time the first time they use the new terminal, just to be safe.
Q: Where will international travelers claim their checked bags when arriving in Atlanta?
A: At the new international terminal baggage claim area.
Q: Will cabs and shuttles serve the new terminal?
A: Yes.
Q: How can I get from the airport MARTA station to the international terminal?
A: A free shuttle bus will run between the airport MARTA station and the international terminal 24 hours a day.
Q: How can visitors to Atlanta get to the rental car center?
A: A separate free shuttle bus will take travelers from the international terminal to the rental car center. The airport says it’s a 15-minute ride and will operate 24 hours a day. When returning a rental car before an international flight, travelers should take I-85 toward the domestic terminal to go to the rental car center, where they can catch a shuttle to the international terminal.
Q: What kinds of restaurants and shops will the new international terminal have?
A: Eateries for the new facility will primarily be on Concourse F and include The Varsity, The Pecan, The Original El Taco, Pei Wei Asian Diner, French Meadow Bakery and Sweet Auburn Market Café.
New shops include The Body Shop, Tommy Hilfiger, Kiehl’s, Sunglass Icon, Touch Table, Clutch, Brookstone, InMotion Entertainment, Simply Books, two CNN International News locations and two duty-free stores.
Not all restaurants or stores will open next week. Among those coming later in the spring or summer: Ecco, Starbucks, Lorena Garcia Tapas Bar, Jekyll Island Seafood Co., Maison/Mathis/illy/Stella Artois and MAC Cosmetics.
Q: Where do I pick up arriving international passengers?
A: Take I-75, exit 239 to the international terminal, where signs will point you toward the lower-level roadway for arriving passengers.
Q: Will the people-mover train go to Concourse F?
A: Yes, the train and the pedestrian walkway connect Concourse F with all other concourses. However, if you’re an Atlanta-bound international passenger arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson and going through Customs, you’ll exit into the international terminal arrivals area after clearing Customs. You won’t be able to get through security to access the people-mover train to the main terminal, but you can take a shuttle to the main terminal.
Q: Does this new international terminal replace international Concourse E?
A: No, the new international terminal and 12-gate Concourse F are in addition to the 28-gate Concourse E. They form what the airport calls a “40-gate international air travel complex.”
Q: Will anything be different for pre-cleared international passengers from countries that participate in the pre-cleared U.S. Customs program?
A: Pre-cleared international passengers will also enter and exit the airport through the new international terminal. They will claim their bags at a separate baggage carousel in the arrivals hall.
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What’s better?
● For international travelers bound for Atlanta, the international terminal will end the cumbersome baggage recheck process. No longer will those passengers have to recheck bags after going through Customs, then reclaim them at the main terminal. That’s because the international terminal will enable them to leave the airport without taking the people-mover train back to the main terminal.
● Domestic travelers could see a bit less congestion, with reduced traffic on roads to the main terminal and inside, at security checkpoints and on the people-mover train.
● The international terminal puts a shiny new face on the Atlanta airport for travelers from around the world and brings the city and region up to a more modern standard of terminal design.
...What’s worse?
● Getting to the airport is a bit more complicated. From downtown, you’ll have to make sure you take the right highway (I-75 vs I-85) to get to the correct terminal (domestic or international).
● MARTA isn’t as easily accessible from the new terminal. You’ll have to take a shuttle bus from the international terminal to the main terminal station.
● You’ll have to pay attention to whether your international flight is nonstop or connects in a U.S. city such as New York. If the latter, you should check in at the domestic terminal because the first leg of your trip is domestic.
● If you park at the airport and are flying internationally, you should note whether you have a connection in a U.S. city in one direction and not in the other. If so, you’ll likely likely be arriving at a different terminal than you departed from. In that case, you’ll need to take a shuttle back to the terminal where you left your car.
● This isn’t necessarily worse, but most Atlantans who use the airport won’t see the new terminal any time soon. Only about 11 percent of passengers fly internationally out of Hartsfield-Jackson, while others don’t fly very often or at all.
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What are the new amenities?
● Special parking spaces for alternative fuel vehicles, carpools and vanpools
● A new interfaith chapel
● A new Delta Sky Club
Baggage check counter in parking garage for Delta and its partners
● Other amenities planned, but not opening initially, include sleep units and an upscale lounge open to other airline club members.
Airlines At the new terminal
● Delta Air Lines
● AirTran/Southwest
● Air Canada
● Air France
● British Airways
● KLM
● Korean Air
● Lufthansa
International arrivals | Departures
More information
If you use a GPS, the street address for the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal is:
2600 Maynard H. Jackson Jr. Blvd.
Atlanta, GA 30354
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