Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is temporarily removing part of the domestic terminal parking lot to accommodate an expansion, resulting in the short-term loss of about 1,100 parking spaces.
Because of the construction, airport officials are advising travelers to arrive earlier than usual for their flights until the work is finished. To handle rising passenger numbers—projected growth of roughly 5–6 percent annually—the airport is adding five new gates to the T-North concourse. The expansion is scheduled for completion in October 2022.
“We have 192 passenger boarding bridges, which is a lot of gates, but we have no gates available. There’s still a lot of demand,” said Tom Nissalke, assistant general manager of planning and development at ATL.
The $332 million project will ultimately create space for an additional 7,000 parking spots. In the short term, a new access road will be constructed through the North Economy parking area beside the terminal to support the work and maintain flow around the site.
“So give yourself a little extra time coming to the airport and think about your parking strategy,” Nissalke advised. “The parking situation at the domestic terminal is already challenging, especially during the summer months. Fortunately we’ve got two other parking projects that will be coming online within the next year.”
Travelers should plan for potential delays when approaching the domestic terminal, consider alternative parking options, and allow extra time for shuttle transfers or walking from more distant lots. With the airport expanding gate capacity and adding thousands of parking spaces in the long term, officials say the temporary inconvenience is intended to address ongoing demand and improve operations once completed.