Hartsfield-Jackson passenger count expected to hit 100 million mark

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Hartsfield-Jackson International, the world's busiest airport in passenger traffic, is on track to hit a record 100 million passengers for the full year of 2015.

Last year, the Atlanta airport handled a record 96.1 million passengers. This year so far, passenger traffic has been up more than 4 percent. The increase comes as low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines grow in Atlanta. Meanwhile, heavyweight Delta Air Lines maintains the world's largest single airline hub in Atlanta, and Southwest Airlines operates its own large operation here.

The Atlanta airport is expecting heavy crowds over the holidays, while the Transportation Security Administration also expects to see record-breaking traffic through security checkpoints. Travelers are advised to arrive at the airport 2 hours before their flights.

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Wait times at security checkpoints have been as long as 21-30 minutes during some periods at Hartsfield-Jackson, even on regular, non-holiday travel days.

Delta has warned travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday to expect "a greater than normal volume of traffic in the airport. It will take longer than usual to get through the TSA security lines."