I have been to Atlanta a few times with my family – though most of the times I have been visiting friends who were able to pick me up or drop me off at ATL airport in a car. However, recently I was in Atlanta for a conference that was in Downtown Atlanta, so I started exploring the best way to get from Downtown Atlanta to ATL airport. Since Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is a decent bit away from the main areas of Atlanta, we did a bit of research to help find the best way from Atlanta to ATL airport. So I thought I would share with you some of my information to help you figure out the best way to get from Downtown Atlanta to ATL.
If you need to make it a roundtrip, make sure to check out my guide to the best and cheapest way from Atlanta to ATL airport
Getting from Downtown Atlanta to ATL airport by taxi
You can surely take a taxi from Downtown Atlanta to Hartsfield-Jackson airport but it will be fairly expensive. As of 2023, for taxi rides from Atlanta to ATL, trips from downtown will increase to $36, airport trips from Midtown will increase to $38 and trips from Buckhead will increase to $48.
If you do want to take a taxi from Atlanta to ATL airport, you’re likely to save money by using a service like Carmel Limo — plus you can save $4 off using this link.
And obviously you will be in a car, so subject to Atlanta traffic, especially if you’re traveling in rush hour (which seems like every hour!)
Downtown Atlanta to ATL airport by Uber or Lyft
Uber has an estimated price of $25-$50 to get from Downtown Atlanta, Midtown or Buckhead to ATL, though obviously that depends on where in Atlanta you’re starting and probably time of day (how long it takes)
Lyft is similarly priced from Atlanta airport to Atlanta though both Uber and Lyft often are running promotions so be sure to check with them before you go
[The time my Lyft driver went the wrong way down a one-way street]
If you do sign up for Uber or Lyft, signing up through my referral code you may get up to $10 off on your first ride.
The cheapest and best way to get from Atlanta to ATL airport
While taxi, Uber, bus and even other ride share services or limos are all options to get from Downtown Atlanta to ATL airport, in my opinion, the absolute best way to get from Atlanta to ATL airport is by subway. In my previous post about getting from the airport to Atlanta, someone pointed out that they personally did not feel super safe on MARTA, especially as a single woman or with kids, so you’ll have to decide on your own level of safety there. I road the MARTA twice and didn’t feel unsafe, but both times were in the middle of day and without kids.
The MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) has a fairly robust train and subway network, and both the Red and Gold lines connect Downtown to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport. Depending on where you’re coming from in Metro Atlanta, you may be have to connect to another line, but there are also plenty of park and rides available at many stations.
A one-way ticket on MARTA costs $2.50, though if you want a physical card, it’s an additional $1.
Step by step instructions for taking MARTA from Downtown Atlanta to ATL
The first step in taking MARTA from Metro Atlanta to ATL is to make your way to the nearest MARTA station. This will of course depend based on where exactly in ATL you are staying. As I mentioned, many of the stations have parking where you can leave your car while you take the train from Atlanta to ATL. In my case, I was staying near the Peachtree Center station, just north of Downtown Atlanta.
If you don’t have one already, you can purchase a ticket and a physical MARTA card. Another option is to use the Breeze MARTA mobile app, which is what I did. It was quite easy to create an account and load money to your account. I loaded $2.50 to my account, which showed up right away. It also then gives you a QR code which you can scan to enter the part of the station where the trains are.
Both the red and gold lines go to ATL airport, so if you’re at a station on either of those lines (like I was), you can just take either of those lines south to the Atlanta Airport station. Once you get to the airport station, you’ll see signs to go to the airport terminal, which is down an escalator or elevator.
Depending on where exactly you are coming from, it should take around 20 minutes to get from downtown Atlanta to ATL. That’s about how long it took me to get from the Peachtree Center station, which is one station north of the central Five Points station.
I hope this guide has helped you travel from Downtown Atlanta to ATL airport – if you need to make it a roundtrip, make sure to check out my guide to the best and cheapest way from Atlanta to ATL airport
What are your tips for the cheapest and best way from Atlanta to ATL airport?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
People are so stupid and racist. MARTA is safe. Black people won’t hurt you.
Like I said, that was my experience as well – I didn’t feel any less safe on MARTA than on any other large-city public transit
Says the guy who never takes MARTA… I have been in the line of sight of a Taser, I have shared the same car as a knife wilding guy, and I have been in the same car as a guy assaulting his girlfriend.
All of that post COVID. Yes MARTA was better when there were still blue and white collars commuting to Downtown and acting as Neutronmoderator control bars. Not so much now that everyone is telecommuting.
This said, thanks for putting up a detailed how to to use a public transportation service. Clearly this is a travel blog for travel experts….