Atlanta Airport Question

[Brenle]

We're making a connection in Atlanta. (The busiest aiport in the country so I've heard) Having never been there, how do you navigate from arrival to a departure gate? Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[sunflowerfields]

I am wondering the same thing. My husband and I are flying for the first time ever and taking three grandkids. We have to change planes in Atlanta with only 40 mins. to get on. I am very nervous. Glad someone thought to ask this question.

 

[cel_disney]

Atlanta is huge but it's SUPER easy to navigate! There are 7 terminals - T, A, B, C, D, E, And the new international terminal F. There is a tram that runs thu the center connecting them all. The airport signage is very clear and easy to use.

If your connecting gate is not in your terminal (common if you are flying delta), you will want to walk towards the center to get to the tram. When you arrive at the center of the concourse, there will be escalators to the trams, just make sure you go to the one for your terminal.

You can google the terminal maps to see what it looks like!!! If your layover is less than 35 minutes you should not plan to stop for a coffee or anything until after you find out if you have to go a long way or if its a close connection....

And if you have enough time and like to walk, it's also possible to walk between terminals instead of the tram - but it can be hot in summer!

 

[DebbieB]

Alot of people complain about Atlanta but I find it easy, when I used to fly alot for work I was through there quite often. Everything is in a straight line, there are alot of places to eat if you have time between flights. It's usually crazy busy but I came off a redeye after D23 in 2011 and at 4:30am the place was deserted, it was really weird. The good thing about it is there are alot of options if a flight is delayed. Delta has practically hourly flights ATL-MCO.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/airports-and-aircraft/airports/atlanta.html

 

[sam_gordon]

I am wondering the same thing. My husband and I are flying for the first time ever and taking three grandkids. We have to change planes in Atlanta with only 40 mins. to get on. I am very nervous. Glad someone thought to ask this question.

It is possible to change terminals in less than 5 minutes. I've had to do it. Of course, I was by myself. 40 minutes could be very tight when you're with kids (depending on their ages).

Here's what you'll need to do...
* When you get off the plane, check the monitors (there are often employees helping you) to see what gate your connecting plane is at.
* If the terminal (A, B, C, D, E, T, F) is the same as what you're on, no problem, head to your next gate.
* If you need to change terminals, head to the middle of whatever terminal you're in (signage is very good), and the middle will be around gate 15 (so if you get exit at gate 20, head toward the lower number gates. Likewise if you get off the plane at gate 5, head toward higher number gates.
* When you get to the middle of the terminal, look for the signs directing you to the other terminals. IIRC, you'll turn left or right depending on where you're headed. For example, if you're on C and need to get to A or B, you'll go one way. If you need to go to D or E, you'll go the other (again, signage is very good).
* You can take escalator (faster) or elevator down to the lower level. Get on the tram or use the moving sidewalks to go to your desired concourse.
* Go back up the escalator and to your next gate.

I would not count on stopping if you have to change concourses. Make bathroom/food stops once you get to your next gate. There's a good chance the plane will already be boarding by the time you get there.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

The above instructions are great.

A couple of other things..

Go directly to the gate. No, you don't get to stop for food, shoppiing etc. When you arrive at the gate and you see what's going on then you shop!

Just last week I was at my gate waiting to board watching "Hysterical family" who missed thier plane. They claimed thier connection was late... and maybe it was but... they had time to stop at Chick Fil A and two shops in the airport... Hmm.... Mom actually told the gate agent "we had to stop we don't have these at home" LOL! She honestly thought Delta would hold the plane while they browsed the airport...

The train is faster.. Unless you are an Olympic Sprinter wait on the train.

Consider your connection when you decide "we will save money and not check anything" If you have to stop every 10 feet to rearrange the "pack mule" it's going to slow you way down. (And I see that all the time. People with luggage falling off of them.. Yes, the 3 year old with them gets a personal item and a carry on, but she can't carry these things LOL!)

 

[OKW Lover]

As the PP's have said, ATL is actually easy to find your way around despite its size. If you have to change concourses you just walk to the center and go down to the train/walkway. At the concourse for your next flight you go up the escalator which puts you in the center of that concourse. You'll find the lower numbered gates (1-18) on one end and the higher numbered gates on the opposite end.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Remember even though your ticket says you have 40 minutes between flights they will start board 20 before the flight time so you really only have about 20 minutes before flights. The flight time is acutally the time the plane is suppose to be pushing back from the gate.

I would sit at the front of the plane going into ATL if at all possible. The last thing you need to do is eat up your time by waiting for everyone in front of you to get off the plane.

 

[DebbieB]

Remember even though your ticket says you have 40 minutes between flights they will start board 20 before the flight time so you really only have about 20 minutes before flights. The flight time is acutally the time the plane is suppose to be pushing back from the gate.

I would sit at the front of the plane going into ATL if at all possible. The last thing you need to do is eat up your time by waiting for everyone in front of you to get off the plane.

Since we are talking Atlanta, I assume the airline is Delta. Delta boards 30 to 40 minutes before with mainline planes (not regional jets). Their boarding passes usually show the 40 minute boarding time.

It's hard to get seats in the front with Delta unless you pay for First Class or Economy Comfort or are a Medallion Member. If you aren't any of those, you are usually sitting behind the exit door on mainline planes.

 

[Brenle]

We are flying Delta, so who knows what gate we'll be at.
Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to post. I had checked out Atlanta's website but what they don't tell you is personal first-hand experience that you all can share with me.

So it looks like once I get off the first plane, if I'm at a different gate for the second leg of travel, I go down, then to the correct concourse, then back up. Sounds easy enough. Thankfully I have a 1 1/2 hour layover so don't feel like I have to sprint (like I do when catching the bus to Magic Kingdom).

 

[Greysword]

Great question and answers everyone!

One thing I like is having extra time in ATL between connections. there are some good restaurants, and nice history displays between terminals to look at, that can chew up quite a bit of time if you have a long layover. This is in addition to shops and clubs.

 

[sam_gordon]

We are flying Delta, so who knows what gate we'll be at.
Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to post. I had checked out Atlanta's website but what they don't tell you is personal first-hand experience that you all can share with me.

So it looks like once I get off the first plane, if I'm at a different gate for the second leg of travel, I go down, then to the correct concourse, then back up. Sounds easy enough. Thankfully I have a 1 1/2 hour layover so don't feel like I have to sprint (like I do when catching the bus to Magic Kingdom).

A 90 minute layover should be NO problem.

If you want to do some "advance" work, try: http://www.flightview.com/TravelTools/ViewAirport.asp?airport=ATL&view=arrivals. You can sort by airline (in your case Delta), and look at the arrivals & departures for today. It will show the appropriate gates. It's no guarantee you'll be at those gates when you travel, but it should give you an idea.

IIRC, Delta's Regional Jets are at one end of Concourse C (like C30+).

 

[Brenle]

A 90 minute layover should be NO problem.

If you want to do some "advance" work, try: http://www.flightview.com/TravelTools/ViewAirport.asp?airport=ATL&view=arrivals. You can sort by airline (in your case Delta), and look at the arrivals & departures for today. It will show the appropriate gates. It's no guarantee you'll be at those gates when you travel, but it should give you an idea.

IIRC, Delta's Regional Jets are at one end of Concourse C (like C30+).

Great advice, Sam. I'm going to try it now. Thanks so much.

 

[Sherrypooh]

airtran into atlanta and have about a 90 minute delay. From what I am reading we should be fine? I tried to find out about flights today but it is past our arrival time into atlanta. Another question I have, what do the smokers do? I am traveling with a smoker and I know we won't make the second flight without ciggerettes... Any help would be appreciated.

 

[sunflowerfields]

We will be on air tran from KC to Atlanta. Our travel agent told me that we will not have to leave the air tran terminal (I think is the words she used). Does that mean it should make it a little easier to get to that next plane?

Thank You to all for the help. I am trying to get it all pictured in my mind.

I got a chuckle about the family stopping at Chic Fil A. That won't be me though, I will be the one running like crazy because I will be so afraid of not getting there!

This is all so helpful to me as I really am clueless. So glad this question was asked.

 

[cel_disney]

I am pretty sure that AirTran is primarily in one terminal c or d I think....being on AirTran vs delta does reduce alot of the stress of the Atlanta airport! They don't occupy nearly as many gates as delta!

 

[karly05]

I flew AirTran through ATL in February, and it appears that they are predominantly in Concourse C, but not exclusively. On the way to MCO, we came in at gate D4 and went out at a C gate. No problem, just headed to the center of D, followed the signs and caught the "Plane Train" (tram) to C. On the way back, my arrival and departure gates were actually right across from each other! (It was like C10 and C11, I think.)

 

[DebbieB]

airtran into atlanta and have about a 90 minute delay. From what I am reading we should be fine? I tried to find out about flights today but it is past our arrival time into atlanta. Another question I have, what do the smokers do? I am traveling with a smoker and I know we won't make the second flight without ciggerettes... Any help would be appreciated.

The last time I was through there they had smoking rooms on each concourse. Don't breathe in if you pass when the door opens!

 

[Brenle]

The last time I was through there they had smoking rooms on each concourse. Don't breathe in if you pass when the door opens!

Thanks for the warning!!

 

[mom2jcg]

Once upon a time I was a flight attendant based in ATL, and I would also recommend checking departure gates frequently while on your way to the gate. More than once I've been on my way to a gate, only to find that it had been changed. It is super easy to navigate, though, as others have said, but do not underestimate the time it can take to get from one gate to another. 90 minutes is good, I personally never book connections less than an hour apart.
Tram entrance is as follows:
T gates between T8 and T9
Concourse A between A18 and A19
Concourse B between B18 and B19
Concourse C between C22 and C31
Concourse D between D16 and D21
Concourse E between E12 and E26, walkway to F at E18
Hope this helps!