Atlanta Airport (ATL) TSA Wait Times: Security Checkpoint Guide
Every day, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) sees one of the highest numbers of passenger traffic flows of any airport worldwide. Overall, more than 100 million people passed through ATL for a given year, with the airport still maintaining its title as the busiest airport in the world.
With such large numbers of passengers, it is no surprise that ATL TSA wait times can be long depending on the time of the day, demand, holidays, checkpoint activity, etc. Security checkpoints are available in both the Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal with many security checkpoints servicing the large number of passengers that pass through ATL.
The majority of the time passengers must wait 15-25min at the security checkpoint but if there is a surge in traffic on Monday morning, Wednesday evening or during holidays then TSA wait times at Atlanta airport can go up to 25min – 45min.
There is plenty of information about ATL tsa wait times, to check all of them see this article below.
Current Security & TSA Wait Times at ATL
ATL TSA wait times can vary throughout the day based on passengers volume, checkpoint activity, and peak seasons. The airport provides a security wait-time tracker for travelers, showing the current status of every ATL TSA checkpoints. Wait times are divided into Low (0-15 minutes), Moderate (16-30 minutes), Busy (31-45 minutes), Very Busy (46-60 minutes) and Extended (60+ minutes).
Security line (General)
Passengers should expect to wait 10 – 16 min in the tsa security line during off peak hours at ATL. Refer to the table below.
| Time period | Usual wait times(minutes) |
| 12am – 1am | 1 to 10 min |
| 1am – 2am | 1 to 10 min |
| 2am – 3am | 2 to 10 min |
| 3am – 4am | 3 to 15 min |
| 4am – 5am | 5 to 20 min |
| 5am – 6am | 10 to 30 min |
| 7am – 8 am | 15 to 40 min |
| 8am – 9am | 15 to 45 min |
| 9am – 10am | 15 to 35 min |
| 10am – 11am | 5 to 30 min |
| 11am – 12pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 12pm – 1pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 1pm – 2pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 2pm – 3pm | 5 to 35 min |
| 3pm – 4pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 4pm – 5pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 5pm – 6pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 6pm – 7pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 7pm – 8pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 8pm – 9pm | 5 to 30 min |
| 9pm – 10pm | 5 to 25 min |
| 10pm – 11pm | 3 to 20 min |
| 11pm – 12am | 1 to 10 min |
ATL TSA Wait Times at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
If multiple departures are scheduled to leave the airport at the same time, TSA wait times at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport can fluctuate wildly. A line that appears to be short when you first arrive can balloon to impossible lengths in a matter of minutes when additional buses of passengers roll up to the security checkpoint.
Departures in the morning tend to create more traffic, while holidays and weekends tend to generate higher traffic as well. If you are departing during one of these times, you should consider checking the latest ATL TSA wait times before heading to the airport so you have a rough expectation of how much time you should give yourself when arriving at the airport. Avoiding the temptation to schedule yourself to arrive at the airport at the absolute last minute can help you avoid disappointment and long waits.
Another reason for determining how much time you should give yourself when going to the airport is how many things you have to do before getting to the TSA security checkpoint. Claiming bags, getting a boarding pass, getting parking information, and even walking from the parking structure to your departure gate can all take time if you do not give yourself enough time to get there. For that reason, it is always better to give yourself extra time in case of any unexpected delays than to get there and realize your connecting flight has already left because you had no idea how much time you would have to wait at the TSA security checkpoint.
Refer below table to have an idea about the security wait time at ATL
| Category | Average wait time |
| Current/Recent Average | 10 – 30min |
| Off-Peak Hours | 5 – 15min |
| Peak Hours | 30 – 40min |
| With TSA PreCheck | 5 – 10min |
TSA PreCheck at ATL: Checkpoints
TSA PreCheck at ATL offers enrolled members a more expedited, less stressful security screening experience.
While TSA PreCheck can prove beneficial to many, remember that the available TSA PreCheck lanes at ATL can fluctuate, so always check what TSA PreCheck options are open before heading to the airport. Refer table below
| Location | Screening option |
| South Checkpoint | TSA PreCheck and CLEAR. |
| North Checkpoint | Standard screening and priority lane |
| Lower North Checkpoint | Standard screening and CLEAR options. |
| Main Checkpoint | General standard screening and standard TSA PreCheck |
Quick Security Screening at Hartsfield-Jackson: How?
There are 3 ways to get through security checkpoints at a faster rate
- Delta Digital ID
- CLEAR+ eGates
- TSA Precheck
Delta Digital ID
All TSA PreCheck members and Delta Airlines customers, can request to opt in to Delta Digital ID within the Fly Delta app. This new hands-free facial recognition technology makes showing identification at participating checkpoints much faster and more convenient. When using Delta Digital ID, eligible travelers can forgo repeatedly presenting physical identification and boarding passes at participating TSA checkpoints by using facial recognition technology.
CLEAR+ eGates
CLEAR+ members can use CLEAR+ eGates at participating ATL security checkpoints for a faster, more efficient screening experience. By using facial recognition technology, CLEAR+ eGates can identify you at the security checkpoint and bypass the need to spend time in regular TSA identification lines. For eligible travelers, using CLEAR+ eGates can provide a more efficient way to get through security, especially during busy travel times when regular TSA lines can be extremely long.
TSA PreCheck
TSA PreCheck is an amazing tool for travelers who want to enjoy their time at ATL, while being eligible.
With TSA PreCheck you can enjoy using TSA PreCheck lanes where you can keep your shoes, belts, and light jackets on, while still bringing the majority of your carry-on items with you. I think TSA PreCheck can be a wonderful tool to use when arriving or departing from ATL, especially if you have a lot of time to spare.
Customs & Immigration Wait Times at Atlanta Airport
For arriving international passengers, customs and immigration wait times at ATL can be highly variable, depending on the time of the day. In recent days, the wait-time data shows that immigration processing can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes during off-peak hours to over 40-70 minutes during busy afternoons with some lines spiking to around 75 minutes on a Sunday afternoon. Wait times can also vary significantly by arrival concourse and passenger category.
According to the CBP data available for ATL, the wait times for US passport holders averaged 5 minutes, vs. 7 minutes for non-US passport holders, in terminal E for the most recent hour. In terminal F, US passport holders averaged 9 minutes, with non-US passport holders averaging 14 minutes, for the most recent hour.
Can I check real-time wait times?
Yes, at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), you can check real-time TSA wait times through atl security wait time page,
See below ways to check real-time wait times at ATL
Official ATL Airport tracker
Passengers can check the official ATL Airport tracker for real-time wait time data. The Official ATL Airport Security Wait Time page provides real-time security wait-time data generated from the airport’s automated passenger-counting systems. It displays the security checkpoint queue length for all security checkpoints. The airport’s data updates every few minutes in order to give the most accurate real-time TSA wait time information.
The AJC crowd source gps tracker
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has also developed an AJC ATL Airport Wait Times tool, which utilizes official airport data in combination with real-time GPS tracking of traffic from passengers currently traveling through ATL security checkpoints. Many frequent fliers consider the AJC tool to be the most reliable source of real-time TSA wait time information due to its ability to pick up surges in traffic before they appear in the airport’s official data.
Delta airline app & site
Due to Delta’s emphasis on utilizing security data and ATL being one of Delta’s primary hubs, Delta also provides their own Delta Airport Security Wait Time page as well as the Fly Delta mobile application. If you are a Delta Air Lines passenger, checking your digital boarding pass section is also an excellent way to find live security wait-time data specific to your terminal.
MyTSA mobile app
The MyTSA app offers crowd-sourced data along with a deep knowledge of historical trends that can be helpful when planning your airport visit. If the live data is unavailable, you can still use MyTSA to find out the typical wait times for a Tuesday morning departing at 9:00 AM to help plan your day.
Contact option
You can connect with Atlanta Airport (ATL) with these methods
| Atlanta Airport Website | https://www.atl.com/ |
| TSA Helpline Contact Number | (855) 787-2227 |
| https://www.facebook.com/ATLairport | |
| Former twitter | https://twitter.com/ATLairport |
| Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/user/AtlantaHartsfield/ |
| http://instagram.com/ATLairport |
Quick tips
To prevent your trip from getting delayed here are a few things to remember
You should carry a valid identification card whenever you are traveling. 18 years old and above passengers need to carry an id card, passport, driving licence, or any other valid government issued id.
You should be reminded about the TSA 3-1-1 liquids rule for carrying liquids in checked bags, carry-on bags, and personal care items. The TSA liquids rule states that you cannot bring any liquid that is more than 100 ml. Exceptions are made for liquids associated with infants.
If you forget to carry any valid official id then the new TSA ConfirmID service charges you 45$. So it is better to carry a valid id.
A quick recap
ATL TSA wait times can change throughout the day, so it is better to always check the latest security information before arriving at the Atlanta International Airport(ATL).
TSA security lines can sometimes be a waiting time of their own, but are much shorter during off-peak hours. TSA lines are longest during peak hours, mornings, evenings, holidays, and other busy times.
So, before arriving at the airport, it’s better to check the ATL TSA wait times for the most accurate and real time TSA security line information. Having TSA PreCheck, CLEAR+ or Delta Digital ID can help expedite the process.
Frequently asked questions
The TSA line at Atlanta Airport (ATL) can vary between 15- 30 min with 15 minutes on average. Wait time varies depending on how many passengers are there, the time of the day, and the flight schedule.
Getting through TSA precheck at Atlanta airport (ATL) generally takes under 5-10 min per day during normal or off-peak days and 10 – 15 min during peak days and holidays. However during peak days and holidays TSA wait time at Atlanta can go up to more than 30 min due to staff shortage or traffic rush.
The peak hour at ATL security is generally between 5 am – 9 am and 4 pm – 7 pm.
Yes, the main security checkpoint in the Domestic Terminal at Atlanta Airport (ATL) remains open 24 hours for standard screening.