hey everyone just got off a flight at atl and honestly its a beast of an airport so i wanted to share some thoughts and some advice before i literally forget everything because its kinda overwhelming and basically if youre coming here for the first time or even if youve been here before but always felt a bit lost well this is for you so you dont end up wandering around like a headless chicken like i almost did just now but its okay i figured it out and you will too its just a lot to take in when you first land.
Navigating the maze
so first off you land and its like oh my god where am i going because atlanta is huge its literally one of the busiest airports in the world and it kinda feels like it but honestly its not as bad as it looks if you just pay attention to the signs its basically laid out with the domestic terminal on one end and the international terminal on the other and then all these concourses a b c d e f are spread out in between them all connected by this amazing underground system and you dont even see them all from above really so the main thing you gotta remember is the plane train its literally your best friend underground it whisks you from one concourse to the next and it comes pretty often so dont panic if you miss one just wait a minute or two and another one will be there its super efficient but can get crowded sometimes especially during peak hours and honestly its kinda cool seeing all the murals and stuff down there while you wait but anyway just follow the signs for ground transportation if youre leaving the airport to catch an uber or a taxi or for your next concourse if youre connecting its really well signed believe it or not and youll find your way eventually its not like some tiny airport where you can just walk everywhere you literally gotta use the system they have in place and trust it because its actually pretty good.
The long trek between gates
now this is the big one for connections right because you look at your gate and its like b20 and your next is d5 and you think oh god thats miles away and honestly it kinda is but you have options so dont stress too much its not like youre gonna miss your flight if you plan a bit and know what youre doing and basically how it all works so here are my thoughts on getting from one gate to another or rather one concourse to another.
- between concourses a b c d and sometimes even e you literally have two main choices the plane train which is super fast and recomended for most people or the really long underground walkway which they call the pedestrian walkway and honestly it has moving walkways which helps a lot but if you have a tight connection or a lot of luggage or just dont feel like walking a mile take the train its just faster and way less tiring especially after a long flight and its easy to use.
- you can actually walk between a and b or b and c or c and d and so on but its a decent hike its not impossible especially if you want to stretch your legs and get some steps in but its probably a good 10-15 minute walk between each concourse maybe more depending on your pace and how many of those moving walkways are actually working that day sometimes they break down which is really annoying when youre already tired but its a viable option if you have time.
- if youre going to or from concourse f which is the international terminal youre pretty much stuck with the plane train from the main domestic concourses like a b c d or e because its a long long long way and also for international arrivals you gotta go through customs and then sometimes take a shuttle to the main domestic terminal to catch a connecting flight so always always always give yourself plenty of time there its not a quick turnaround thing because customs can be a pain and its just more steps involved.
- basically if your connection is short like under an hour and fifteen minutes just take the plane train its always the safest bet it runs frequently and gets you there quick and its honestly pretty easy to navigate but if you have like two or three hours and want some exercise then yeah go for the walk its good people watching too and you can find some hidden food spots along the way.
so yeah thats basically my take after dealing with atl today its huge but completely manageable if you know the drill and use the system and dont get overwhelmed just rely on the plane train for most connections and dont be afraid to ask for directions from airport staff if you get really lost and always always give yourself extra time especially for international stuff because customs can be a proper pain and its just a really really busy airport honestly i need a nap now after all that walking and thinking about it but hopefully this helps someone not feel so overwhelmed by the atl monster cheers everyone and safe travels.