Travel 2 Atlanta

Flying in 2 Atlanta

Atlanta has one international airport—Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), known as the busiest passenger airport in the world. Atlanta is also home to Delta Air Lines.

What 2 Expect When I Arrive

You will enter Atlanta directly into the airport building and not on the tarmac. The process for picking up your baggage from an international direct flight is a little different. Here is a step by step guide:

  1. Upon exiting the plane, you will follow the signs to the immigration services and will stand in line to be seen by the immigration officer. Have your passport and all pertinent documents ready.
  2. Then, follow the signs to the baggage claim conveyor belt listed for your flight.
  3. Take a trolley and pick up your checked luggage.
  4. Take your checked luggage through second check point showing your landing card.
  5. Here's the unusual part—you will reload your checked baggage onto a second conveyor belt (there will be ground staff to direct you). 
  6. You will go through a security check with only your hand luggage and all liquid rules apply here.
  7. After the security check you will be in a lobby with a bureau de change.  We strongly suggest you change any currency you planned on changing here because access to currency exchange in Atlanta is not common.
  8. Go down the escalator to the train and get on it. It's a short ride.
  9. Exit at the baggage claim stop (the last one).
  10. Go up the really long escalator.
  11. At the top of this long escalator you can either go to Terminal North (blue) baggage claim or Terminal South (red) baggage claim, depending on your flight.
  12. Get a trolley (cash or credit card needed to get one) and go to the baggage claim conveyor belt indicated for your flight.
  13. Once you have your baggage you can leave the airport building through one of the sliding doors.

Being Met at the Airport

If you are being met, you can ask to be met either (a) at the TOP OF THE LONG ESCALATOR (recommended if you are likely to need help with your baggage) or (b) outside the airport's sliding doors. Each one has a number above it for easy reference.

Local Transportation in Atlanta

In Atlanta, the local transportation system (trains, buses or taxis) is not as standard as it is in London or indeed New York. Unless you are mainly situated in the central part of the city and are in Atlanta for recreational purposes or in a "back-packing" mood, you may prefer to rent a car to move around. Taxis can be relatively costly. There are also several limousine options for your arrival in Atlanta. If interested in a limo service please Contact Us with your details.

Here are some links to give you more information about local Atlanta transportation:

For information on hotels and lodging information in Atlanta, visit our Where 2 Stay in Atlanta page.

Driving in Atlanta

Opposite Side of Road & Car

Driving in the US is on the opposite side of the road and most vehicles have an automatic transmission. You can book your car rental via your preferred rental company before you travel so that upon arrival you can simply pick up your car. We definitely suggest adding a Sat Nav (called a GPS over here) system to your reservation.

Traffic & Appointment Times

A word of caution—Atlanta is a very busy traffic city with much time spent driving from one place to another so it is prudent to take this into account when making several appointments in one day. A good rule of thumb is to ensure you have at least one hour to get from point A to point B regardless of how close it appears on your map. Take into account that rush hour runs for a few hours at the start and the end of the work day. 6AM to 10AM in the mornings, 4PM–7PM (sometimes later) in the evenings and seemingly all day on Friday. Bear in mind that this is greatly diminished when the local schools are on holiday.

School Buses

Please note that when a school bus is stopping in front of you, there will be a red "STOP" sign extended at the drivers side of the bus. You MUST STOP behind the bus and not move until the stop sign has been pulled back. This is the same if you are on the other side of the road from the bus. This is to ensure that the entire area is safe for children entering and exiting the bus.

Right Turn on Red

At a traffic light, you may turn right on red if it is safe to do so unless there is a sign that reads "NO RIGHT ON RED" which indicates that you cannot make the right turn until you have the green light to do so.

Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport Location Map Atlanta Freeway Interstate Highway 285 Sign
MARTA Bus Train Logo
no right on red sign