Leave ByOpen the app

How early should I get to ATL?

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, GA · Checked Oct 14, 2026

The short answer

Delta (ATL's hub carrier) recommends arriving at least 2 hours before domestic departures; ATL is not on Delta's list of airports with longer times

Those are blanket rules. Your real number depends on your terminal, the time of day, traffic from your door, and whether you have PreCheck or a bag. Leave By works out your exact leave time.

Source: delta.com

Security lines at ATL

No official typical-wait figures were accessible. Peak security times are 5-9am plus the days before and after holidays and long weekends. During the Feb-Apr 2026 DHS shutdown waits reached several hours and the airport advised arriving 4 hours early; that shutdown ended April 30, 2026.

Busiest times: 5:00-9:00am, Days before and after holidays and long weekends.

Nationally, TSA checkpoints are busiest from 5 to 7 AM local time. See TSA's hourly numbers and the busiest days to fly.

TSA PreCheck: The South Checkpoint (Delta side) is PreCheck-only. International Terminal PreCheck runs only during limited daytime windows. Checkpoint hours differ between guides and are subject to change.

CLEAR: Available at this airport (see terminals below for which checkpoints).

Touchless ID: TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is listed at ATL for Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest and United (opt in through your airline profile)

Terminals and checkpoints

Domestic Terminal (North and South)

Delta, Southwest, American, United, Alaska, JetBlue, Frontier

Main CheckpointOpen 24 hours for standard screening; the only checkpoint reported as open around the clock
North CheckpointHours reported as 3:30am-10pm (Chase) or 4am-9pm (Upgraded Points); standard and priority screening
Lower North CheckpointCLEARReported 3:30am-10pm for standard and CLEAR standard screening
South CheckpointPreCheckCLEARTSA PreCheck lanes only (incl. CLEAR with PreCheck); reported 4am-10pm (Chase) or 4am-9pm (Upgraded Points)
  • Delta occupies the South side of the Domestic Terminal; other airlines, including Southwest, check in on the North side
  • The MARTA rail station is inside the Domestic Terminal
  • Concourses T, A, B, C, D, E and F are reached by the Plane Train (every 2 minutes) or the underground Transportation Mall walkway

Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal

Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways

International Terminal Departures checkpointPreCheckCLEARStandard screening reported 4:30am-midnight; PreCheck only during limited windows (Chase lists 7-10am and 2-7pm); CLEAR+ standard lanes reported 5am-8pm
  • Separate building with its own highway exit (exit 239, vs. exit 238 for the Domestic Terminal)
  • Upper level has ticketing and security; lower level is customs and baggage claim
  • During the March 2026 TSA staffing crisis the airport told domestic travelers to stay away from the International Terminal checkpoint

Between terminals: Plane Train runs every 2 minutes beneath all concourses; you can also walk between all concourses through the underground Transportation Mall (domestic-to-international end to end is about 1.3 miles, roughly 30 minutes)

Terminals are connected after security, so you can walk between them without re-screening.

Getting to ATL

Rideshare and taxi: Rideshare pickup is on the Domestic Terminal North lower level, next to the North Economy parking deck (follow orange signs)

Transit: MARTA Red and Gold lines leave from inside the Domestic Terminal every 10-20 minutes; about 15 minutes to the city center

Driving and parking: Use exit 238 for the Domestic Terminal and exit 239 for the International Terminal. Redevelopment work limits space in the North and South parking decks until 2027; hourly domestic parking is $10/hour, daily garages $30/day, economy $20/day.

Construction and changes in 2026

  • North and South parking deck redevelopment limits parking in those decks until 2027
  • Concourse D widening continues section by section through summer 2029, with minimal gate closures

Checking a bag

Delta: check bags at least 45 minutes before domestic departure (30 minutes if not checking bags); be at the gate 15 minutes before departure; bags are not accepted more than 6 hours early. Southwest: checked bags at the counter 45 minutes before domestic departure.

ATL tips first-timers miss

  • Delta flyers check in on the South side; most other airlines, including Southwest, are on the North side
  • The South Checkpoint is PreCheck-only, so travelers without PreCheck should use Main or North
  • The Main Checkpoint is the one reported open 24 hours; other checkpoints close in the evening
  • Gates on far concourses are a Plane Train ride away (trains every 2 minutes); walking the Transportation Mall from the domestic end to the international end takes about 30 minutes
  • If one domestic checkpoint looks crowded, local news suggests walking to the other side, but only if that line is moving

Leaving for ATL?

Pick your flight and where you're starting. Leave By checks live traffic, security lines and your terminal, and tells you the minute to walk out the door.

Free. No account.

Questions travelers ask

How early should I get to the Atlanta airport?

Delta, ATL's main airline, recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic flight. Peak security times are 5-9am and around holidays, so allow more time then. Check ATL's live wait times before you leave.

Is ATL still telling travelers to arrive 4 hours early?

That advice was issued in March 2026 during the DHS shutdown, when TSA staffing was short. The shutdown ended April 30, 2026, and Congress later extended federal funding through December 11, 2026.

Which ATL security checkpoint has TSA PreCheck?

The Domestic Terminal South Checkpoint on Delta's side is PreCheck-only, including CLEAR with PreCheck. The International Terminal also has PreCheck, but only during limited daytime hours.

Sources

Airport conditions change. Always follow your airline's check-in and bag-drop deadlines.

Other airport guides

AMSAUSBDLBNABOSBURBWICDGCHSCLECLTCMHCUNCVGDCADENDFWDJTDTWDUBEWRFCOFLLFRAHNLIADIAHINDJAXJFKLASLAXLGALHRMADMCIMCOMDWMIAMKEMSPMSYOAKOGGONTORDPDXPHLPHXPITRDURSWSANSATSEASFOSJCSJDSJUSLCSMFSNASTLTPAYVRYYZ