According to a new report by CBS Atlanta, holiday travel in the ATL is expected to be totally bonkers! Keep scrolling to see all the holiday travel hotspot times… and how to avoid them!
How many people are traveling this holiday season?
Forecasters expect the 2025 holiday travel to be chaotic this year, with the most travelers since before the pandemic.
Confirmed airline schedules show about 5.3 million holiday travelers will pass through the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport this season (which lasts until January 4th, 2026).
This year will be the most travelers in recent years, compared to previous post-pandemic years, that is.
In 2022, nearly 5.2 million travelers hit the ATL airport, and in 2024, only 4 million travelers flew in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson.
What day during the holiday season is expected to have the heaviest traffic?
Currently, CBS Atlanta expects the day after Christmas, December 26th, 2025, to have the largest volume of holiday travelers. An estimated 350,000 passengers are expected at the Atlanta airport on the day after Christmas.
So if you’re flying on the 26th, make sure you’re ready for the crowds, y’all!
When should I get to the airport to make sure I have time to get though security?
Well, your dad probably wants you to get there five or six hours early… but that’s a little over the top. But, the airport does advise passengers to arrive at least 2 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours early for international flights.
And hey, if you’ve got a little extra time, it just means you can check out some of Hartsfield-Jackson’s delicious restaurants & cool shops!
Whether Atlanta is your destination, starting point, or you’re just passing through, we welcome you to the city and hope you have a great flight at the World’s Busiest Airport!