Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, commonly called ATL, has a rich history.
The site that would later become Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was originally a racetrack named Candler Field. On April 16, 1925, Mayor Walter Sims signed an agreement to lease the abandoned racetrack.
The airport officially opened as Atlanta Municipal Airport on September 15, 1926, when a Florida Airways mail plane from Jacksonville, Florida, landed. Mayor William B. Hartsfield played a significant role in expanding and developing the airport during his tenure in the 1930s and 1940s.
The airport’s name was changed to Atlanta Airport in 1941.
The U.S. military used the airport as a training facility during World War II. After the war, the airport underwent significant expansion and modernization.
In 1971, the airport was renamed Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport in honor of Mayor William B. Hartsfield. In 2003, it was renamed Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, recognizing the contributions of Maynard H. Jackson, Atlanta’s first African American mayor.
Hartsfield-Jackson is a major hub for Delta Air Lines, and the airport consistently ranks as the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic. In 2012, the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal opened to accommodate the growing international traffic.
Its strategic location and efficient operations have increased prominence in the global aviation network. Today, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport continues to be a vital transportation hub, facilitating millions of passengers and tons of cargo each year.
