Things to do at the Atlanta airport
When security wait times are long, airport officials advise travelers to get to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at least three hours early to make it to their gate on time.
But what if you lucked out and are traveling during a lull in traffic, and you breeze through the security checkpoint in record time?
Now you have hours of time staring you down at the airport gate. But you don’t have to just sit and wait.
The world’s busiest airport has a lot to explore. The 7.7-million-square-foot terminal complex has about 200 gates across seven concourses.
It also has an underground Plane Train tunnel with a walkway between the concourses that’s filled with large-scale art exhibits.
What are the best ways to spend an extra hour or two at Hartsfield-Jackson? Here are some ideas.
Explore the underground art
If you’re looking to stretch your legs, you can take a walk in the pedestrian walkway of the Plane Train tunnel.
Officially called the Transportation Mall, there are several large-scale exhibits in the underground walkway.
African art
A longstanding exhibit called “Zimbabwe: A Tradition in Stone” can be found between Concourse T and Concourse A.
It’s a convenient location as the first stretch from the domestic terminal (which is connected to Concourse T). No matter where your gate is, you could walk through the Zimbabwe exhibit from the domestic terminal, then walk or take the train the rest of the way to your gate.
But there are also other art exhibits you could continue on to in the Plane Train tunnel.
A virtual forest
One of the most popular artworks at the airport is called “Flight Paths,” an illuminated interpretation of a forest. It’s between Concourses A and B. Installed in 2016, the $4 million installation by the late artist Steve Waldeck fills the 450-foot underground walkway.
Atlanta history
Even if you think you know everything there is to know about Atlanta, you might still learn something if you take “A Walk Through Atlanta History,” an exhibit between Concourses B and C.
It lays out eight periods in the city’s history, from the pre-Colonial era to Atlanta’s emergence as a global metropolis.
Airport history
One of the newest permanent exhibits is “Blue Skies: 100 Years of the Atlanta Airport,” debuted earlier this year between Concourses D and E.
An aviation buff’s dream, the exhibit tells the story of Hartsfield-Jackson’s 100 years of history. It includes artifacts like airmail flown on Atlanta’s first commercial flight in 1926 and a wooden propeller from one of the first biplanes used at the Atlanta motor speedway that predated the airport.
Explore art on the concourses
There’s also distinctive art all around the airport.
For some of it, you have to look where you walk.
On Concourse A is a floor mosaic called “Cross Roads,” by artist Cheryl Goldsleger that represents a map of Atlanta, located at the center of the concourse.
On Concourse C is “Natural Wonder, 2009,” a mosaic by artist Don Cooper on the floor that pays homage to Stone Mountain. It also is in the center of the concourse.
Other art also reflects local history and Atlanta’s identity.
On Concourse E is a Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Wall, found right at the center of the concourse near the escalators.
Also on Concourse E is “Saints” by the late Atlanta artist Radcliffe Bailey, a mural on a curved wall above the escalators exploring the theme of migration. It was installed as part of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Bailey died in 2023.
Naps, wine, massages, etc.
If you’re looking for a relaxing experience, some of the businesses operating at the airport are willing to sell you some services.
The AJC dining team has a handy guide for the best dining options at the world’s busiest airport.
Spa
There are five spa locations at the airport: XpresSpa locations on Concourses A, C, D and E; and a Be Relax spa on Concourse B. They offer massages, manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing.
Wine tasting
The first Vino Volo at Hartsfield-Jackson opened in 2024 on the north end of Concourse T, offering wine flights, food, glasses of wine and other beverages.
Interfaith chapel
Did you know there are chapels at Hartsfield-Jackson? The ATL interfaith airport chaplaincy “provides a ministry of presence at the world’s busiest airport,” according to its website.
Outside of security there’s a chapel on the second level of the domestic terminal atrium.
But past security there is another interfaith chapel on Concourse F, on the second floor next to The Club ATL.
The chaplaincy offers free weekly services, including non-denominational services, Muslim services and Roman Catholic mass, confessions and Communion, according to its website.
Service animal relief areas
When you’re traveling with a service animal or pet, there may be some need for relief. At the airport, there are free service animal relief areas on the concourses.
They’re equipped with grassy turf areas, a drinking fountain and supplies for cleanup.
Lactation pods
If you’re a nursing mother and in need of a private spot while traveling, there are Mamava lactation pods at spots around Hartsfield-Jackson.
You’ll find them on each concourse, and you can use the Mamava app to access the pods for free.
Multisensory rooms
Travelers with cognitive disabilities like autism spectrum disorder may seek some relief from the airport environment.
Delta has a multisensory room on Concourse F with calming colors and sounds. Ask a Delta agent for access, granted to ticketed passengers based on need.
Sleep units
For those who are really in need a quiet place to work or sleep and are willing to pay, there are Minute Suites locations with sleep units on Concourses B, E and F. However, they don’t come cheap: It can cost $65 an hour.
Each sleep unit has a daybed sofa, pillows and blankets, a small work station and a TV. At the Concourse B and E locations, you can also make a reservation to take a shower for an extra fee.
Lounges
If you have a club membership or credit card access to a premium airport lounge like the Delta Sky Clubs found on each concourse or the Centurion Lounge on Concourse E, those lounges can offer a quieter place to relax or work, with food and beverages and other amenities.
Access is pricey: The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card that comes with Sky Club access has an annual fee of $650, for example.
The lounge on Concourse F called the Club ATL, however, offers day passes for $50. That lounge also offers snacks and drinks, as well as a shower.
Note that all of the lounges can have long wait times for entry during busy periods. And sometimes, they can be just as crowded as some gate areas.
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