For Immediate Release
February 5, 2019
Contact:
Office of Policy and Communications
(678) 920-0857
media@atl.com
Hartsfield-Jackson Remains the World’s Busiest Airport for 20 Consecutive Years
ATL breaks single-day screening record by 9 percent with 101,999 passengers
ATLANTA –Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) remains the world’s busiest airport for the 20th consecutive year, serving more passengers than any other airport in the world in a single year. Additionally, ATL has remained the most efficient airport in the world for the past 15 years.
Preliminary statistics show that in 2018, ATL served 107,394,029 passengers, a 3.33 percent increase over 2017’s total. These numbers are based on ATL’s Air Service Development figures, and once verified this spring by Airports Council International (ACI), ATL will officially hold the distinction for 21 consecutive years. ACI is the only global trade representative of the world’s airport authorities.
“While I am extremely proud of our position in the global aviation industry, I am equally proud of our 60,000 plus world-class, dedicated employees,” Airport General Manager John Selden said. “It is because of them, and our strong airline partnerships, that we were able to safely and efficiently serve over 107 million passengers last year.”
On Feb. 4, 2019, also known as “Super Bowl LIII Mass Exodus Day,” TSA officers broke the previous single-day screening record by nearly 9 percent. The new single-day record for screened passengers at ATL is now 101,999, which also includes the highest number of Pre-Check passengers screened with 46,453. The same day, TSA officers also screened 53,781 checked bags.
Prior to Feb. 4, the highest number of single-day screened passengers at ATL was 93,082 on May 25, 2018.
ATL remains the only airport in the world to surpass 100 million travelers in a year.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) is the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, serving more than 103 million passengers annually with nonstop service to more than 150 U.S. destinations and 70 international destinations in more than 50 countries. ATL boasts a direct economic impact of $34.8 billion in metro Atlanta and a total direct economic impact of $70.9 billion in Georgia. The Airport is the largest employer in Georgia, with more than 63,000 individuals working on-site. The Airport is a frequent recipient of awards of excellence for concessions, operations, sustainability, architectural engineering and construction. In 2016, ATL set in motion a multibillion-dollar capital improvement program, ATLNext, which will modernize the Domestic Terminal, extend two concourses, construct several parking decks, add a sixth runway, expand cargo facilities and pave the way for a 440-room InterContinental Hotel with Class A office space. For more information, visit www.atl.com.
