Hartsfield-Jackson offers tips for stress-free holiday travel
By Katena Carvajales

The busy holiday travel season began the day before Thanksgiving and extends through the New Year holiday, but planning ahead can take the hassle out the experience for travelers.

“We are excited to welcome another holiday season and are well-prepared to get passengers to their destinations,” said Hartsfield-Jackson Aviation General Manager Louis Miller. “Travelers should follow these simple steps to reduce stress and create a more pleasurable airport travel experience.”

Tips for stress-free travel:

1. Arrive 90 minutes before domestic flights and two hours before international flights.
2. Sign up for Trak-a-Flight, the Airport’s free service that delivers updated flight information to e-mail accounts, PDAs or mobile devices.
3. Check security wait times online at www.atlanta-airport.com, or sign up for Trak-a-Line to have real-time checkpoint wait times sent to e-mail accounts or mobile devices.
4. Take your pet to Hartsfield-Jackson’s dog park for a last-minute pit stop. It’s a fully fenced, 1,000-square-foot area on the south end of the Ground Transportation center. The park contains rock and grass areas, benches, artwork and Mutt Mitts, biodegradable bags for pet waste.
5. Call 1-877-ATL-PARK or visit the Airport's Web site for information about parking availability. Take advantage of the Airport’s more than 8,000 spaces in the convenient Park-Ride lots, which cost only $9 per day and offer shuttle service to the terminal.
6. Use the Airport’s hourly parking lots when picking up or dropping off passengers. Parking in these lots is free for the first 15 minutes and costs just $2 for the first hour. Unattended vehicles parked at the curb will be ticketed and towed.
7. Remember the rules about carry-on baggage: one bag plus one personal item per passenger. Personal items include purses, briefcases, laptop computers and backpacks. Contact your airline for additional details.
8. Remove coats and take laptop computers out of their cases before going through security.
9. Follow the Transportation Security Administration’s 3-1-1 rule for carry-ons: 3.4-ounce (100 ml) bottle or less (by volume); one quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; one bag per passenger placed in the screening bin.
10. Wait until you reach your destination to wrap presents. Wrapped gifts may be opened and inspected.