Hartsfield Airport Atlanta?????

[fudget]

HI!
ATL will be our connecting airport for this trip and I've never been there before.
We will be there for about 2 1/2 hrs going and about an hr coming back.
Is there a good place to eat breakfast?
Is is easy to find your way around?
I don't know which concourse will be at but were flying Delta.
I looked at there website and there are tons of places to eat and shop, too many to search.
I will be there with DS's 3 and 8 and DO NOT need to spend alot of money there, LOL.
Any suggestions for passing time?

Thanks

 

[peagreenid]

This is NOW the busiest airport in the Nation.
Delta flies out of more than one concourse there. The EACH concourse is HUGE. You can walk from Concourse to Concourse, or they have a train that will take you every 5 minutes or so. There are a ton of shops and restaurants. I don't think you will have a problem, getting to the concourse you are departing from and hanging out there until your departure.

smiles Patty

 

[lsmac]

We went through Atlanta last year with Delta and as i remember, there are a TON of places from everything from Cinnabon to Chili's to eat at. It is a VERY LARGE airport and it takes a bit to get from one place to the next...and I have never seen so MANY people in one place! (and I live in Denver...home to about 10 million people...seems like at rush hour)
Don't worry though it is easy to get around and we spent about a 2 hour layover there as well. We basically got something to eat then went and sat at the gate and watched TV. Of course, I don't have small children...so not sure what would keep them busy??
Sorry, guess I am not much help...

Lisa

 

[pouncingpluto]

I live in Atlanta and fly about twice a month out of Hartsfield. I don't think I'm being too biased when I say it's my favorite airport in the world. It's huge, but it's designed really well.

The best place I would recommend to eat is the Atlanta Bread Company in the main terminal atrium, but that's outside of security, so you probably won't want to do that. There will be plenty of restaurants on all concourses, however, so you won't have to go far to find breakfast. It's mostly fast food, but there are mini versions of some sit-down chains.

 

[bemily]

Hartsfield is HUGE, and it is hard to recommend anything because you do not know which terminal/s you will be flying in and out of. I would get to your connecting terminal and then decide from there. There is plenty to choose from in each terminal..

have fun!
Sherry

 

[goofydadeo]

fudget - first I would recommend you go to delta.com with your flight numbers and look up your flight in the arrival/departure area of the home page in order to determine which concourses you will arrive and depart from. Most Delta flights operate on concourses T, A, B and F (international). It is easy to move from one concourse to another on the train, just follow the signs. I would recommend concouse A - it has the largest shopping/food court area. The Atrium area in the main terminal is also nice but it is outside of security. The airport also has it's own website: atlanta-airport.com Have a great trip!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Actually, the International Concourse is Concourse E. The main concourses are A and B. The commuter flights (both mini-jet and prop) operate out of C. And there are one or two gates on D. Flights to major destinations such as LGA, ORD, DCA, or BOS operate out of the T-gates, which is the concourse attached to the terminal.

 

[doubletroublemom]

Whatever you do.....don't try to walk between the concourses! Take the train, but remember to take the announcement that the doors are closing seriously!

 

[fudget]

WOW!! Lots of info to go on. I'm confused about the "train" though. Are the concourses outdoors? Is there one of those floor things that move you forward? If we go to the Atrium being outside security does that mean it will take alot of time to get back in?
Thanks again for all the input!!!

 

[fudget]

Well assuming that flight always goes to the same gate, we will arrive at gate C-23 going and T-07 coming back. Thanks "goofydadeo" for that great tidbit, now at least I know what concourse we'll be at and can look up places on their website within those areas!!!

 

[walter]

We will be flying into Atlanta on our way to Orlando for the first time in early December. Maybe our son who relocated to that area to enter the law enforcement field can meet us there! We have not seen him in approx. 6 months.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

There is an escalator down from the concourse to the underground train. There are also moving sidewalks if you prefer not to use the train.

 

[Michelle]

Every time I fly through Atlanta on Delta it seems like my arriving flight is at a terminal as far as possible from my next flight.

If you have a tight connection you may need to HAUL to get to your next terminal, it can take up to 20 minutes to get there if you are at a far gate and a far terminal. Delta is pretty good about announcing connecting gate information on the flights so you should know where you're going. I've had the gates change at the last minute so be aware of that too.

There are lots of typical fast food places around to eat, usually right by the escalator you take up from the subway between the terminals.

 

[mcnuss]

I don't think I'm being too biased when I say it's my favorite airport in the world. It's huge, but it's designed really well.

LOL! I was going to write the exact opposite. I avoid Atlanta like the plague; I always end up having to haul my fanny what seems like 20 miles in 10 minutes. I just must have really rotten luck.

 

[fudget]

After checking all of my flight #'s for the trip this is the deal:
arrive c-23
depart e-11

coming home
arrive t-07
leave c-26 UGH

The flight home is really far but the flight in isn't so bad.

I printed off the airport layout, it seems so small on a 8 1/2 x 11
piece of paper, LOL.

I may get a spa treatment on day 1, it's going to be a looooong day. We leave a 6:15 am, which means we get up about 4 or so. I have to get up at 4 and then get the kids up and call a cab and get to the airport 1 1/2 or so early, YIKES!!

Oh well, anyway, thanks all for the info
I'm much more informed now but a little freaked,hehe......

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Where do you live, fudget? Lynchburg or Roanoke?

 

[fudget]

Roanoke Dave

 

[peagreenid]

It is on RARE occassion that those gates will be accurate. You will need to get the info the morning before you travel....BUT..... as others have said it can still change. Last year, we flew from Seattle to Orlando thru Hartsfield. This was 2 weeks after 9/11/01. We had a 20 minute layover in Atlanta. I had printed out our gates before we left home. Our flight was 30 minutes late leaving Seattle, and as I was watching the clock I was starting to PANIC!!!! At one point I even stopped the stewardess and asked her if she could find out where we needed to go......this was the first time I heard about the TRAIN!!! OMG!! I then realized just how big it was. We landed as about 5 minutes before our next flight was departing. We RAN, dragging kids behind us........thinking we were running for the next concourse. The only thing that saved us........they changed the departing flight to the same concourse. We ran off of one flight and LITERALLY ran onto the next as it was boarding. It has been on RARE occassion that I see the gates stay the same (except for my hometown of Boise) But, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Orlando and Atlanta the gates have always changed before we landed.

The PLUS......once you've been there.....you will be a PRO!!! To be honest.....I've flown in there TWICE and i've never even seen the train. So I always walk. The exercise Will NEVER kill me! I always get to the stop for the train, and there has never been one there.

Have fun.....the map is a plus.....we do that at all airports we are not familiar with.

smiles Patty

 

[fudget]

Thanks Patty!!
I will be sure to check the gates,etc the day before and day of. Last time I fly into MCO it wasn't the gate they said it would be.
I am already "freaked out" in fear we will miss our flights for some reason, especially since it's already cold here, I fear snow or fog but hope for the best
I don't see me running thru ATLwith my 3 yr old, my 8 yr old, maybe,hehe. I need all the exercise I can get though!! I've just quit smoking after 20 years, WOOHOO!!!!!! and I'm afraid I'll gain alot of weight

 

[goofydadeo]

Fudget - I also have a DS8. We are on the 11/2 Eastern - how about you? Good luck in Atlanta - Delta is pretty good about helping you with connections - just ask a "red coat" that greets your flight. I have found that the gates do change but not too often.

Dave - thanks for correcting me on the international concourse!