Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) Airport Guide: Concourses, Plane Train and Tips

Quick answer: ATL is one long line: the Domestic Terminal on the west end, the International Terminal on the east end, and seven concourses in between, T, A, B, C, D, E and F. Delta runs domestic flights from T, A, B, C and D and most international flights from E and F. The Plane Train links every concourse behind security, with trains every couple of minutes. MARTA's Airport Station is inside the Domestic Terminal, and the Red and Gold lines reach Five Points downtown in under 20 minutes.

Facts checked November 2026. Schedules and entry rules change, so confirm with the airline and the official government site before you travel.

ATL at a glance

How the ATL terminal map works

The layout is simpler than its size suggests. Picture a straight line. On the west end is the Domestic Terminal, where most US flights check in and where the domestic baggage claims, MARTA station and taxi stands are. On the east end is the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, which has its own check-in hall, arrivals hall and parking. Between them, running east to west, are Concourses T, A, B, C, D, E and F. Concourse T is attached to the Domestic Terminal, and Concourse F is attached to the International Terminal.

The Domestic Terminal has a South side and a North side. Delta, the airport's largest airline by far, checks in on the South side. Other US airlines check in on the North side. Delta also has counters in the International Terminal, so a Delta passenger flying abroad can choose either building.

Because both terminals feed the same row of concourses, you can usually check in at one end and fly from the other. Before you pick an entrance, look at your gate letter: driving to the wrong terminal means a long loop around the airfield on the highways.

Which airlines use which concourse

Delta flies domestic routes mainly from Concourses T, A, B, C and D, and its international flights mainly from E and F. Southwest generally uses Concourse C, as of recent schedules. Other US airlines, including American, United, Alaska, JetBlue, Frontier and Sun Country, use gates spread across the domestic concourses, and their check-in counters are in the Domestic Terminal North.

Foreign airlines check in at the International Terminal and usually board from Concourse F or E. They include Air France, KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways, as of recent schedules; check with your airline. The airport notes that international flights sometimes leave from the domestic concourses when gates are short, so the gate on your boarding pass is what counts.

Gate assignments move around at an airport this busy, especially while Concourse D is under construction. Check the airline app on the day you fly, not a map you saved weeks ago.

The Plane Train and walking between concourses

The Plane Train is an automated underground train that runs behind security. It stops at Concourse T, every lettered concourse from A to F, and the domestic baggage claim. Trains come about every 2 minutes, so you rarely wait long. Signs on the platforms tell you which direction you need.

You can also walk. A pedestrian tunnel called the Transportation Mall runs alongside the train with moving walkways and art displays. Walking from the Domestic Terminal to Concourse F is well over a mile, so it only makes sense between neighboring concourses or when you have time to spare.

One catch for arriving international passengers: because the Plane Train runs inside the secure area, people ending their trip at the International Terminal cannot ride it back to the Domestic Terminal. A free shuttle bus runs around the clock between the International Terminal and the Domestic Terminal baggage claim, and MARTA puts the ride at about 15 minutes.

International arrivals and connections at ATL

Flights from abroad arrive at Concourse E or F, and everyone clears US Customs and Border Protection there, even if Atlanta is only a stop. Global Entry and the Mobile Passport Control app can shorten the immigration line.

After customs, passengers whose trip ends in Atlanta go into the International Terminal arrivals hall. Passengers connecting to another US city turn toward the bag recheck counters, drop their checked bags, and go through TSA screening again before heading to their next gate by Plane Train. Delta has run programs that let passengers from some airports, including London Heathrow and Seoul Incheon, skip collecting and rechecking their bags in Atlanta; ask Delta whether your flight qualifies, because it covers specific routes only.

Airlines set the minimum connection time on a single ticket, but an international-to-domestic connection needs more cushion than a domestic one because of the customs line and the second screening. On separate tickets, allow several hours. For domestic connections, the Plane Train means even the longest change, from Concourse T to F, is a ride of a few minutes plus the walk to the gate.

Getting to downtown Atlanta and beyond

MARTA is usually the quickest way downtown at rush hour. Airport Station sits inside the Domestic Terminal between the North and South baggage claims, at the end of the Red and Gold lines. The ride to Five Points usually takes under 20 minutes, and trains continue to Peachtree Center, Midtown and Buckhead. MARTA lists train hours of 4:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekends; after about 8:30 p.m. you may need to change to the Red Line at Lindbergh Center for Buckhead and stations north of it.

Taxis and rideshare pickups are at the Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal. Road time to downtown depends heavily on traffic on I-75 and I-85, which meet just north of the airport.

The ATL SkyTrain, a separate free people mover that runs 24 hours a day, connects the Domestic Terminal with the Rental Car Center and stops on the way at the Gateway Center, the hotel and convention complex near the airport.

Lounges by concourse

Delta Sky Clubs are spread across the airport, with at least one in each concourse from T to F, so a Delta passenger seldom has to change concourses for a lounge. The Concourse F club, with its outdoor terrace over the gates, is the one most international passengers pass.

The American Express Centurion Lounge is in Concourse E. The Club ATL in Concourse F is a shared lounge that accepts several lounge programs. Minute Suites, with small private rooms for naps, has locations in Concourses B, E and F.

Delta plans a Delta One Lounge on Concourse E. Atlanta's city council approved the agreement in July 2026, but no opening date has been announced. Entry rules differ for every lounge, so check yours before you go.

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