Atlanta Layover - International
 

Hello,

I’m not familiar with Atlanta’s airport, other than hearing that it is huge, so I’m hoping someone can give us some insight. We are flying from Chicago to ATL and we have a 1 ½ hour layover before our flight to London Gatwick. Will this be manageable? Assuming of course we arrive without much delay. Are we required to go through any security or lines once we reach Atlanta’s international terminal? If we check luggage in Chicago, we don’t need to grab it in ATL, correct?

We’re flying on Delta, and our flight home arrives directly in Chicago.

Thank you!

If your flight is on time, you should not have any problem.

You can familiarize yourself with the layout of ATL on its website and a few days before your flight check which gate your flight from Chicago "usually" arrives at and London "usually' departs from (no guarantee it won't change even while you are in the air).
www.atlanta-airport.com/

A DL flight from Chicago would likely arrive at a gate on Concourse A or B. You walk to the center of the concourse, take an escalator down, and can ride a train to Concourse E (international) for your London flight. Ride the escalator on the right up two stories to departing flights and find your gate.

You do not go through security. You do not retrieve checked luggage.

DL doesn't have any non-stop flights from Europe to ORD. On your way back, if you're flying non-stop from Amsterdam, you're on a KLM flight. Otherwise, you may want to check what flights you're actually on and where you're entering the US.

Thanks for the insight, I’m relieved to hear we shouldn’t have a problem if all goes as planned. As for the return, we’re leaving out of Rome and our DL flight is actually operated by Alitalia, non-stop to ORD.

I apologize for hijacking this thread, but I have a loosely related question about Hartsfield and international flights.

I'm flying from my hometown (very small) airport non-stop to ATL and then connecting to Grand Cayman on another non-stop flight. Because of the (intentional) way that I booked my flights, I will spend the night in Atlanta (approximately a 14-hour layover). Will Delta will keep my bag overnight (preferable), or will I need to collect it and recheck it? If it was a day flight with a shorter connection, I guess I wouldn't even ask the question - a checked bag would automatically be retained and transferred to the next flight, but this is an unusual situation for me. Obviously, I'll know when I initially check my luggage - the bag tag will either say ATL or GCM (actually, I guess it will say both codes, but the final one should be obvious). I'm hoping to travel with carry on only (it's a short trip), but I want to be prepared just in case I change my mind.

And on the return flights (international to domestic), because I connect in ATL, I think that I'll have to claim my bag and recheck it. Do I also need to go back through security? I think passengers are usually outside of the secure area after they exit immigrations and customs.

I'll be staying at the Renaissance on the airport property. Any comments on that? The hotel has a restaurant, but I'm not opposed to cabbing somewhere to get a better meal if it's not too much trouble. Suggestions?

You definitely have to go through security on your way back after clearing US immigration and customs in ATL.

ATL is my main hub airport and is better than most

The E counsourse for interantional usually just a zip

from the other terminals but Carry on

www.onebag.com so you do not have to recheck.

Your hotel is fine good eats also at the airport

a bit cheaper Chilis TGIFs 2 good places for me.

still insuremytrip.com always wise in case you miss

or you get an iceland volcano for me last year

or an earthquake trip insurance is cheap and saves a tonne

sometimes...

On return from any foreign country you always have to

xray scan recheck any and all bags after clearing customs

for ongoing domestic flights.

No way to get around that but lots less hassle with

just 1 carry on the way I do it.

Atlanta is also using the A and T terminals for international flights so check with an agent before running over to the E concourse.

@fluffnfold
You should check out Atlanta's awesome dining scene. You can take MARTA from the airport.

Some suggestions along the MARTA line:
Peachtree Center: PittyPat's Porch or SunDial (downtown, near Centennial Park, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola etc)
http://www.atlanta.net/detailPages/d...untnum=001001M

http://atlinsider.atlanta.net/blogs/...-evenings.aspx

******
Midtown: Ecco (midtown, near Margaret Mitchell House, Fox Theatre, Piedmont Park)
http://www.atlanta.net/detailPages/d...untnum=0046571

*******
Arts Center: South City Kitchen (midtown, near the Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Piedmont Park)
http://www.atlanta.net/detailPages/d...untnum=003533M

*********
Decatur: Farm Burger
http://atlinsider.atlanta.net/blogs/...rm-burger.aspx