Atlanta Airport Guide

            There’s an old joke in the South that when you die, if you want to get to heaven or hell you have to go through Atlanta first. There is, of course, truth to that old joke as Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport saw one hundred million passengers pass through last year and has been the busiest airport in the world since 1998. On any given day, one thousand flights take off from Atlanta with over two hundred sixty thousand passengers moving through the airport. Hartsfield-Jackson serves as the headquarters of Delta Airlines and is a major Delta hub for the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and Europe. Delta’s traffic accounts for nearly 75% of the airport’s passenger traffic, while lower cost airlines like Southwest, Frontier, and Spirit make up much of the rest. Chances are, if you’ve ever flown domestically, you’ve flown through Atlanta at least once. With that in mind, we figured it might be a good idea to over some travel tips for navigating your way through this busy thoroughfare.

            If you’re flying through the Hartsfield-Jackson, navigating the ariport is relatively easy—at least after you realize that the T terminal comes before the A Terminal. The internal automated train known as the “Plane Train” runs passengers quickly and efficiently between the terminals. For those who don’t want to take the “Plane Train,” you can walk between the terminals. These walkways include a series of artistic and historical exhibitions that highlight local artists and the history of Atlanta. They are well worth your time if you have a long layover. The permanent exhibits are in the corridor between the T and A corridors. The History of Atlanta is on the walkthrough between B and C. There are other art exhibitions in T concourse and in the atriums of the various terminals.  

            Most importantly though is being able to navigate your way through the Atlanta airport’s copious food options. Like any airport, Hartsfield-Jackson has your standard fast-food: McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, and pretty much every mediocre food joint you could imagine, but if you go looking for them, you can find a few local gems that won’t necessarily break the bank and offer a good meal in return. With that in mind, here are four food options that you won’t regret later.

Varasano’s-Terminal A—This Atlanta based pizza restaurant has an outpost in Terminal A. The best part of Varasano’s is their thin and crispy crust topped with quality ingredients. The house special is called “Nana’s” and it features mozzarella cheese, san marzano tomatoes and herbs. Another favorite is the “Bufafa and Coppa” a pizza made with imported buffalo mozzarella cheese, basil and capicola (a pork cold cut consisting of dry cured meat from the neck or shoulder). There’s a piano bar and views of the activity bustling around the T Terminal across the way.

Pascal's Award Winning Fried Chicken

Paschal’s Southern Cuisine-Terminal B Concourse- The Paschal’s in Atlanta has been open since 1947 where it served as a meeting place for musicians like Aretha Franklin and Dizzy Gillespie and  famed civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. In 2015, the Atlanta Journal Constitution named Pascal’s fried chicken the best in the state. The Pascal’s at Hartsfield-Jackson has been filling the bellies of travelers with its fried chicken, catfish, mac and cheese and other southern soul food delicacies since 1979.

Grindhouse Killer Burgers D-Terminal Gate 30- A small local burger chain that opened its first location in 2009, Grindhouse burgers rely on locally sourced ingredients that let them stand above your standard airport burger options. Grindhouse has a selection of house burgers while also allowing you to build your own. They have an expansive selection of local beers and a location that is just out of the way to allow you to stretch out and relax in a quieter part of the airport.

 One Flew South-Terminal E- One Flew South is considered one of the best airport restaurants in the world. In 2014, it garnered a James Beard nomination for Best Restaurant Southeast. The New Orleans based Tales of the Cocktail named it the best airport bar in the world. In 2013, Frommer’s ranked One Flew South as one of the top 10 U.S. airport restaurants. The menu includes items like a pulled duck sandwich, thyme roasted pork belly, and lamb ragout with rigatoni pasta. If you have the time and the money, it is possible to have a really nice meal at the Hartsfield-Jackson airport.