Hartsfield-Jackson and mass transit officials say that the smart way to use the airport is to rely on MARTA.

Johnny Crawford / Staff (ENLARGE)

Two Marta trains pass one another coming to and from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

RELATED LINKS: • See our airport resource guide

But the airport's best kept secret may be out.

MARTA has more than 4,000 long-term parking spaces that beat anything you can find in or around the airport, where there are about 31,000 public parking spaces and at least 11,000 private spaces. But, like the airport, MARTA is running short of enough space for long-term parkers. Parking for less than 24 hours is free at all MARTA parking facilities, and long-term parking is available for $4 to $7 at nine rail station locations.

For instance, the Dunwoody station has 1,048 spaces, but they are usually filled, according to MARTA. College Park usually has 280 long-term spaces, but due to construction of a new parking deck, only 88 are available.

MARTA accepts credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express) at all parking facilities.

And, oh, don't attempt to park long term in the free daily MARTA lots. Transit cops are looking for squatters and could slip a ticket under your windshield wiper.

MARTA has no hotline on parking, so if you decide to try to squeeze into a long-term lot, have a backup plan. Go to the station you prefer, and if it's full, have a second choice. The Lenox deck, for instance, is nearly wide open all the time and would be a good alternative to Dunwoody.

Better yet, have someone drop you off at a MARTA station — if you can't talk your Good Samaritan into driving you to Hartsfield-Jackson.

Delta Air Lines has a ticket counter at the airport MARTA station, so passengers can get off the train, check in at the station and then head to the gate.

One-way fare on MARTA is $1.75. For more information on MARTA parking, visit www.itsmarta.com/howto/parking.htm.