How To Get Between Terminals at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport [ATL

Key Takeaways

• The Plane Train connects all terminals and concourses, running 24/7 with departures every 2 minutes. This makes transfers quick and easy for passengers.
• The presecurity shuttle service links the domestic and international terminals, taking approximately 12 minutes.
• Walking between concourses is possible via the mall, which features moving sidewalks and art exhibits. Walking from Concourse A to F takes approximately 35 minutes.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is a large and extremely busy airport. In fact, ATL is the busiest airport in the world, transporting over 108 million passengers in 2024. Considering the airport’s size, the straightforward and functional layout is easy to navigate, especially if you’ve done your research before your visit.

Below, you’ll find all the details you need to get between terminals, the locations of each concourse, and what to do when you have a connecting flight.

ATL Airport Layout

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has 2 terminals: the Domestic Terminal (divided into Domestic Terminal South and Domestic Terminal North) and the International Terminal. There are also 7 airside concourses filled with additional shops and restaurants and departure gates.

From the map above, you’ll see that the airport is laid out like a fishbone, with the Domestic Terminal as the head, the International Terminal as the tail, and the concourses as the ribs. The spine is an underground transportation system — known as the Plane Train — connecting it all.

If you’re flying from the International Terminal, you can pass through security in the Domestic Terminal and vice versa, provided you hold a valid boarding pass. If you’re flying with checked luggage, you need to check whether your airline has check-in facilities at the terminal of your choice. If you’re flying with carry-on baggage only, you need to check in online and have a printed or mobile boarding card.

You have several options for traveling between the terminals and concourses.

ATL Ground Transportation Before Security (Landside)

You can travel between the domestic and international terminals (without passing through security) by taking the airport shuttle service.

If arriving from the MARTA station or from other entry points on the western side of the Domestic Terminal, you need to exit baggage claim via doors W1 or W2. From here, you can follow signs to ground transportation, where you can pick up the shuttle bus to go to the International Terminal.

From the International Terminal, you can pick up the shuttle bus from the arrivals level outside doors A1 and A2. The shuttle journey between terminals takes around 12 minutes.

ATL Ground Transportation After Security (Airside)

The Plane Train, on level 0, is one of the easiest ways to get around ATL. It operates 24 hours a day and departs every 2 minutes. Take an escalator or elevator down to the lower level, where the Plane Train is signposted.

Running on a 3-mile loop, the Plane Train runs between the Domestic Terminal (baggage reclaim) and Concourse F (International Terminal), stopping at concourses T, A, B, C, D, and E along the way. A countdown timer alerts passengers to the next Plane Train arrival, and there are automatic announcements and maps on board to help you plan your route.

Escalators and elevators are accessible from each stop, and there is little or no gap between the train and the platform. If you require any wheelchair assistance, you can let airport staff know at security, and someone will assist you.

You also have the option of walking along the transportation mall that is on the same level as the Plane Train (level 0). There are moving walkways along the way and interesting art and history exhibits.

The airport signs indicate that it’s a 5-minute walk between concourses (apart from E to F, which is 10 minutes), so keep that in mind if you’re in a rush. For example, walking from Concourse A to F will take around 35 minutes, whereas the Plane Train will take just a few minutes and departs every 2 minutes.

Once you’ve arrived at your departing concourse, you need to take the escalator or elevator up to departures (level 2), where you can walk to your gate. There are no moving walkways along the individual concourses, so electronic carts are available to assist passengers with any mobility issues.

ATL Domestic Terminal

The Domestic Terminal is on the western side of the airport and is further separated into north and south by an atrium. Delta Air Lines occupies the Domestic Terminal South area, with its own baggage claim area and curbside check-in.

Other domestic airlines, like Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue Airways, operate from Domestic Terminal North, which has a baggage claim area and check-in facilities. United has a dedicated baggage claim area located on ground level, accessible via several escalators and elevators.

The MARTA train station is in the Domestic Terminal. If you are arriving or departing from the Domestic Terminal but flying from the International Terminal, you would need to use the ground transportation options covered earlier.

The atrium area has a range of shops, restaurants, and different airport services. Once you pass through security into the concourses, you’ll find more shops and restaurants.

There are 3 security checkpoints in the Domestic Terminal: the main checkpoint (the largest), the north checkpoint, and the south checkpoint. Once you’ve cleared security, you’ll arrive at Concourse T.

Gates are marked according to their concourse. For example, T14 is in Concourse T. All concourses, apart from Concourse T, have gates on either side, with odd-numbered gates on the eastern side and even-numbered gates on the western side.

Each concourse is about half a mile in length with the entry point in the middle, so you would need to allow around 5 minutes to walk to the furthest gate from the halfway entry point.

Concourse T

Concourse T is a part of the Domestic Terminal building and serves gates T1 to T21. Delta, WestJet, United, and other carriers operate from this concourse.

When passing through security from the Domestic Terminal, you will arrive directly into the concourse, where, depending on your gate number, you’ll need to head right or left. Gates T1 to T8 are to the right, and T9 to T21 are to the left.

Delta operates a Sky Club near gate T6.

Concourse A

Concourse A is made up of 28 gates, many of which are operated by Delta. There is an XpresSpa in the central area of the concourse, and 2 Delta Sky Clubs, 1 near A17 and 1 in the center of the concourse.

If arriving from the Domestic Terminal, gates A1 to A18 are to the right, and A19 to A34 are to the left.

Hot Tip:

Take a look at all of the airport lounges available at ATL.

Concourse B

Concourse B has 32 gates numbered B1 to B7, B9 to B14, B16 to B29, B31 to B34, and B36. If you’re arriving from the Domestic Terminal, gates B1 to B18 are to the right, and B19 to B36 are to the left. As with Concourse A, Delta dominates this concourse, but other airlines operate from here as well.

There’s a Delta Sky Club in the central area near B18, 2 Minute Suites near B16 and B24, and a Be Relax Spa.

Concourse C

Concourse C has 34 physical gates, but they’re numbered C1 to C7, C9, C10, C12 to C17, C20 to C22, C30, C33 to C37, C40 to C43, C46, C47, C49, C50, C52, and C55. If you approach Concourse C from the Domestic Terminal, gates C1 to C22 is to the right and C30 to C55 to the left.

There is a Delta Sky Club and an XpresSpa near C37.

Concourse D

Concourse D has 39 physical gates. If you’re arriving from the Domestic Terminal, gates D1 to D16, including D1A, are to the right and D21 to D46 are to the left.

The concourse has 2 Delta Sky Clubs found by D12 and D27, as well as an XpresSpa location.

ATL International Terminal

The International Terminal is on the eastern side of the airport, with most international flights operating from concourses E and F. Check-in desks for airlines such as Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, and British Airways are on level 2.

Level 2 is also where passengers pass through security to go into Concourse F. From here, take the escalator or elevator to level 0 and ride the Plane Train or walk through a pedestrian walkway to Concourse E. You’re also able to take the Plane Train or walk to any of the other concourses for the Domestic Terminal. The time it takes to walk from Concourse F to E is around 10 minutes.

Arrivals are on level U, which has baggage claim and ground transportation services for taxis, rental cars, and hotel and park-ride shuttles. The shuttle departs for the domestic terminal here.

The level 3 mezzanine is home to The Club at ATL, a Delta Sky Club, and a few shops and restaurants.

Concourse E

Concourse E consists of 29 gates numbered E1 to E12, E14 to E18, and E26 to E37. To reach Concourse E from the International Terminal, passengers must pass through security into Concourse F, where they can then ride the Plane Train or walk on level U to Concourse E.

If you arrive from the pedestrian walkway on the east side of Concourse E, you have gates E18, E16, and E14 on the right side and E17 and E15 on the left.

For all other gates, you need to walk through the concourse until you reach a cross-section where gates E1 to E12 are to the left and E26 to E36 are to the right.

If arriving from the Plane Train on the west side of Concourse E, walk into the cross-section where gates E1 to E12 are to the right and gates E26 to E37 are to the left. For gates E14 to E18, continue straight across the cross-section.

Concourse E has a Delta Sky Club lounge opposite E14, the Centurion Lounge from American Express near E11, and an XpresSpa and Minute Suites near E26.

Concourse F

Concourse F is airside in the International Terminal. For departing passengers, once you’ve passed through security, you arrive in the transition hall of Concourse F, where you can take an elevator or escalator to level U for onward travel to other concourses.

Concourse F consists of 12 gates numbered F1 to F10, F12, and F14. If you’re passing through the international terminal security checkpoint, gates F1 to F10 are to the left and F12 and F14 are to the right. Concourse F is about half the length of the other concourses, measuring about a quarter of a mile, so once you arrive airside from security, it should only take a few minutes to walk to your departure gate.

On the arrivals level, passengers pass through passport control before arriving at the baggage claim area within the international terminal.

Concourse F features a Delta Sky Club on the mezzanine.

Flight Connections at ATL

ATL’s relatively straightforward layout makes flight connections fairly easy. When arriving at ATL from a domestic or preclearance destination, passengers with luggage checked through to their final destination can proceed to their connection without collecting their luggage in between.

Passengers arriving on an international flight have to collect their luggage to clear customs. There will be signs for connecting flight passengers that lead to a baggage-check room to drop off your bag for the next leg of your journey, providing your luggage has been tagged to your final destination.

Any passengers who have booked an onward flight independently (unless the carrier has a check-in desk at the international terminal) need to take the shuttle bus (outside the secure area) to the Domestic Terminal to check in for their next flight.

Domestic-to-domestic or domestic-to-international connecting passengers do not have to clear security again.

However, any international-to-domestic or international-to-international connecting passengers need to clear security again. Once they pass security, they can take the Plane Train or the pedestrian walkway to their departure gate.

Accessibility

Both terminals and all 7 concourses are accessible to passengers with mobility concerns, disabilities, and wheelchair users. There are multiple elevators to connect to the different levels, including level 0 to access the underground tunnels and the Plane Train, which is also accessible to wheelchair users.

Final Thoughts

Overall, ATL’s functional layout and clear signage mean it’s a relatively easy airport to navigate. As long as you’re aware of which terminal you’re departing from and whether you have the ability to pass through the alternative terminal, navigating ATL can be a breeze. Even if you find yourself at the wrong end of the airport, the free shuttle bus can get you where you need to go in a reasonable 12 minutes.

As ATL serves so many passengers, allow plenty of time to clear security and arrive at your departure gate. Although you may try to get a head start by researching the gate number of past flights that have arrived, these gates are always subject to change. Leave plenty of time to catch the Plane Train or walk through the pedestrian mall while admiring some of the cool and quirky art exhibits.