Hartsfield-Jackson hits holiday peak with 350,000 passengers on Friday

ATLANTA - The post-Christmas rush is in full swing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as hundreds of thousands of travelers head home or depart for New Year’s celebrations.

Holiday travel peak

What we know:

Friday marked the projected peak of the holiday travel period, with airport officials expecting nearly 350,000 passengers to move through the facility. While airport leadership prepared for the busiest holiday season since the pandemic, the experience on the ground was a mixed bag for travelers.

The Delta Air Lines check-in area emerged as a primary chokepoint Friday morning, even as TSA security lines remained remarkably manageable.

Travel during the holidays

What they're saying:

"We expected a little bit more chaos here at the airport, but it's not too bad," said traveler Caleb Hill, who was heading home after the Christmas holiday.

Others were pleasantly surprised by the efficiency at security checkpoints, despite the high volume of passengers.

"We just expected to see long lines," said traveler Jeff Harper. "Last time we flew out of here a couple of months ago, it was like a two-hour line. So, it's good to see it this way."

While many were ending their holiday trips, Harper was among those beginning a new one. After celebrating Christmas early with his large family, he was bound for Orlando, Florida, to cheer on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the BYU Cougars.

"We're kind of on a tight schedule, to be honest with you," Harper said. "So, now we just popped in and flying down and then coming back Sunday morning. To us, it's just in and out."

The period between Christmas and New Year’s Day has also become a popular window for vacationers. Lindsay Kline, another traveler navigating the airport Friday, was headed to Las Vegas for a pre-birthday getaway.

"They're making me go 10 days before my birthday, my 21st birthday, so I can't even do anything. But that's okay," Kline said.

Atlanta airport delays

By the numbers:

Despite the relatively smooth flow through security, travelers are facing some hurdles. As of 5 p.m. Friday, Hartsfield-Jackson has reported more than 430 delays and approximately 85 cancellations, many attributed to severe winter weather warnings affecting other parts of the country.

Holiday travel tips

What you can do:

Aviation officials continue to advise passengers to arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international departures to account for holiday volume.