Rental car center debuts
By A.B. Snedeker

If you rent cars at Hartsfield-Jackson, we have good news! This month the Airport celebrates the grand opening of its state-of-the-art rental car center and the ATL SkyTrain, the elevated train that connects the passenger terminal to the new facility.

Beginning December 8, all rental car companies that had operated in the passenger terminal are located at the rental car center. The center houses all customer transaction counters and all vehicles for rental agencies operating at Hartsfield-Jackson.

How to access Hartsfield-Jackson’s new rental car center:

1. Pick up your checked luggage at the north or south baggage claim area.
2. Follow the overhead signs to ground transportation and the rental car center.
3. Proceed out of the west end of the terminal under the covered walkway.
4. Take the escalator up to the station and board the ATL SkyTrain.
5. Enjoy a scenic, five-minute ride to the rental car center.

“This state-of-the-art rental car center is designed to meet our travelers’ current needs, while preparing us to accommodate increased demand in the future,” said Aviation General Manager Ben DeCosta. “In addition, this project represents a real economic stimulus by creating hundreds of jobs now and in the future, when the nearby Gateway Complex at the Georgia International Convention Center — which also can be accessed by the ATL SkyTrain — is complete.”

Hartsfield-Jackson is the first airport in the country to open a rental car center and its associated people mover simultaneously. The ATL SkyTrain features a stop at the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC), making the convention center the only one of its kind in the United States with a direct connection to an international airport.

“This is very big for us,” said Hugh Austin, GICC executive director. “A direct link to Hartsfield-Jackson virtually eliminates ground transportation costs associated with getting attendees to and from the convention center.”

The rental car center is a major component of the Airport’s 10-year, $6 billion-plus Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The City of Atlanta and the Airport began planning for a remote rental car facility as part of the overall CIP adopted and implemented in 2000. Construction began on the rental car center in early 2006.

Web pages dedicated to the rental car center detail the important changes to the car rental process for passengers and provide step-by-step instructions for accessing the facility. Along with news and answers to frequently asked questions, the Web pages also feature videos, photos and other information about the center and the ATL SkyTrain.