Are Planes Landing in Atlanta Today? A Practical Guide for Travelers

If you’re asking “Are planes landing in Atlanta?”, you’re almost always thinking about one place: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). As one of the busiest airports in the world, flights are landing and taking off from Atlanta nearly every minute of the day.

However, weather, technical issues, and air traffic control delays can affect when planes land, even if the airport itself is open. This guide explains how arrivals work in Atlanta, what can cause disruptions, and how to quickly check the real-time status of flights landing at ATL and other Atlanta-area airports.

Are Planes Landing in Atlanta Right Now?

In normal conditions, yes, planes are landing in Atlanta around the clock.

Key points about Atlanta’s main airport:

• Airport: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Location: 6000 N Terminal Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30320
• Operations: Typically operates 24 hours a day, including arrivals and departures
• Runways: Multiple parallel runways allow many landings per hour

When you hear about “Atlanta flights,” people almost always mean ATL, but there are also smaller airports in the metro area (more on those below).

Even during storms or nationwide air traffic issues, it’s rare for all flights to stop landing in Atlanta for a long period. More commonly:

• Individual flights are delayed or diverted
• Certain time windows have ground stops or flow restrictions
• Specific airlines temporarily pause flights in or out

How to Check If a Specific Plane Is Landing in Atlanta

If you need to know whether a particular flight is landing at ATL:

1. Use the Airline’s Official Flight Status

Go to the airline’s website or app and look up:

• Flight number (e.g., DL 123, AA 456)
• Departure city
• Arrival city: Atlanta (ATL)

Look for terms like:

• On time – flight is expected to land as scheduled
• Delayed – flight is running late but still planned to land
• In air / En route – plane is currently flying toward Atlanta
• Diverted – plane has been redirected to another airport
• Canceled – flight will not operate

This is usually the most accurate, traveler-focused information.

2. Check Flight Boards for ATL

If you’re already in Atlanta or heading to the airport, you can use:

• ATL’s flight information displays inside the terminals
• The airport’s own flight status tool via its website or app, if available

Search by:

• Airline
• Arrival city
• Scheduled arrival time

You’ll see whether the plane has landed, is taxiing, is en route, or is still scheduled.

3. Call or Chat With the Airline

If online tools are unclear, you can:

• Use the customer service number on your booking confirmation
• Use the airline’s app chat or message center

When you contact them, have ready:

• Full name
• Flight number and date
• Departure city

Ask specifically:
“Is my flight still scheduled to land at Atlanta today, and at what time?”

What Can Stop Planes From Landing in Atlanta?

Even though ATL is built to handle huge volumes of traffic, several factors can slow or pause landings temporarily.

Weather in Atlanta

Common Atlanta weather issues that affect landings:

• Severe thunderstorms ⛈️
• Low visibility from heavy rain or fog
• Occasional ice or snow in winter
• Strong crosswinds

In these situations, air traffic control may:

• Increase spacing between planes, reducing the landing rate
• Place holding patterns in the air around Atlanta
• Implement ground stops (temporarily halting departures to ATL from other airports)

Landings usually continue, just at a reduced pace. Only in severe or unsafe conditions are landings temporarily paused.

Air Traffic Control and National Airspace Issues

Delays can happen if there are:

• Staffing limitations at Atlanta air traffic control facilities
• Broader national airspace congestion
• Temporary runway closures for maintenance or incidents

In these cases, you might see your flight status show:

• “Air traffic control delay”
• “Ground stop” for ATL
• Estimated arrival time pushed back in stages

Airline and Aircraft Issues

Even if ATL is open and fully operating, your individual flight may not land on time due to:

• Mechanical checks or repairs
• Crew availability limits
• Late arriving aircraft from a previous city

When this happens, the reason and new estimated arrival are usually visible in the airline’s status tool.

Other Airports Where Planes Land Around Atlanta

While most commercial travelers use ATL, there are other airports in the Atlanta region:

If you’re watching the skies near Chamblee, Kennesaw, or west Atlanta and seeing lots of smaller jets or prop planes, those are often landing at PDK, RYY, or FTY, not ATL.

If You’re Currently in Atlanta and Wondering About Arrivals

You’re Picking Someone Up at ATL

To know if their plane is actually landing:

1. Ask for their flight number.
2. Check the airline’s app or website for real-time status.
3. Note the “actual” or “estimated” arrival time, not just the scheduled one.
4. Plan your drive to:
   • Domestic Terminal – North or South (depends on airline)
   • International Terminal (Concourse F) for most international arrivals

Tip: Many locals wait at Cell Phone Lots near ATL to avoid parking fees until the plane lands and the passenger is ready for pickup.

You’re at Home in Metro Atlanta and Hearing Lots of Planes

In Atlanta, it’s normal to hear steady overhead traffic, especially:

• Along major arrival or departure paths south and east of the city
• Near East Point, College Park, Hapeville, and other communities close to ATL

If you suddenly hear more or fewer planes than usual, it may be due to:

• Temporary runway usage changes
• Weather-related routing shifts
• Time of day (peak morning and evening waves)

How to Track General Flight Activity Into Atlanta

If you’re less concerned about a single flight and more about overall arrivals into Atlanta:

1. Use Atlanta Airport Flight Tools

ATL provides tools that typically let you see:

• All arriving flights for a given time window
• Whether planes are on time, delayed, landed, or canceled

Filter by:

• Airline
• Origin city
• Time of arrival

This gives a good picture of whether planes in general are landing normally.

2. Watch for Widespread Disruption Signs

You may suspect bigger issues if you see:

• Many flights showing “delayed due to weather”
• Multiple airlines posting waivers for ATL (allowing free changes)
• Local news mentioning airport disruptions, ground stops, or runway closures

Still, even during heavy disruptions, there are often some planes continuing to land, just at reduced volume or with longer delays.

Planning Ahead: Reducing Stress Around Atlanta Flight Arrivals

To protect your plans when flying into or out of Atlanta:

• Build in buffer time.
  For arrivals into ATL, avoid tight connections to events, meetings, or long drives.

• Use airline alerts.
  Turn on text or app notifications for your flight so you’re updated if landing time changes.

• Check early and often.
  On the day of travel, start checking flight status several hours before departure and again before heading to ATL.

• Know your backup options.
  If your flight cannot land in Atlanta and is diverted or canceled, ask about:

  • Rebooking onto the next flight into ATL
  • Being rerouted into another airport with ground transportation back to Atlanta

Useful Atlanta Airport Contact and Location Information

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

• Address: 6000 N Terminal Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30320
• Main information line (commonly used): Check current listing for “Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport information” to confirm the latest phone number, as it can change over time.
• Lost & Found, parking, and airline counters are all located in or near the Domestic and International Terminals.

For DeKalb–Peachtree Airport (PDK), Cobb County International (RYY), or Fulton County Executive (FTY), contact pages and phone numbers are available through the respective county or airport authority websites if you’re dealing with private or charter arrivals.

In everyday terms, yes, planes are landing in Atlanta—almost all the time. The real question is whether your specific flight is landing on schedule. For that, rely on real-time flight status from your airline and the arrival boards for ATL to get the clearest, most current picture.