Does Atlanta Airport Take Cash? How Payments Work at Hartsfield‑Jackson

If you’re flying through Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and wondering whether you can still use cash, the short answer is: yes, but not everywhere, and often not directly.

Atlanta’s airport has moved strongly toward cashless payments, especially for parking and many concessions, but there are still ways to use cash if that’s what you have on hand. Knowing where cash is accepted—and where it isn’t—can save you stress when you’re catching a flight or picking someone up.

Cash at Atlanta Airport: Quick Overview

Here’s a simple breakdown of where cash works at ATL and what to expect:

Does Atlanta Airport Parking Take Cash?

If you’re driving to ATL from Atlanta, Decatur, College Park, or the suburbs, parking is usually your first big interaction with airport payment rules.

On-site parking is largely cashless

Most official ATL parking facilities—including Domestic Terminal South and North decks, Economy, and some Park Ride lots—operate with card-only payment systems at the exits. That typically means:

• Credit and debit cards are accepted
• Mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) are often accepted
• Cash is usually NOT accepted at the exit booths or machines

If you show up to park with only cash, you may run into trouble when it’s time to leave the lot.

How to use cash for airport parking

If you must pay with cash, consider:

1. Cash-to-card kiosks inside the terminals
   You can convert cash into a prepaid payment card and then use that card to pay for parking.

2. Off-airport parking providers
   Some independent lots near the airport may take cash at their check-in desks or shuttles. Always call ahead before you rely on that.

3. Have someone else pay with a card
   If you’re being dropped off and your driver only has cash, they may need to:

   • Drop you at the curb instead of going into hourly parking, or
   • Convert their cash to a card at a kiosk if they plan to park.

If you park frequently at ATL, it’s much easier to have a debit/credit card or mobile wallet ready to go, even if you generally prefer cash around the city.

Cash-to-Card Kiosks at Hartsfield‑Jackson

To support travelers who still use cash, ATL has installed cash-to-card kiosks in the terminals. These machines are one of the most useful tools if you arrive with only bills in your wallet.

How the kiosks work

While exact locations and details can change, most kiosks work like this:

• You insert cash (typically bills only; no coins)
• The machine issues a prepaid card or prepaid Visa/Mastercard-style card
• You can then use that card like a regular debit card anywhere it’s accepted (inside the airport and often outside as well)

These kiosks are commonly found in concourse or terminal main areas, such as near food courts or central walkways. When you arrive:

• Follow signs for “Cash-to-Card” or “Prepaid Card Kiosk”, or
• Ask an information desk staff member to point you to the nearest one

What you can use the prepaid card for

Once you load your cash, you can usually use the card for:

• Airport parking payments
• Food and drinks in the terminals
• Shops and newsstands
• Some ground transportation services that accept major cards

💡 Tip:
Load a bit more than you think you’ll need if you plan to use the card for both parking and a meal. Any remaining balance may be usable later in Atlanta, like at gas stations, grocery stores, or shops that accept that card network.

Using Cash for Food and Shopping at ATL

You’ll find everything from fast food chains to sit-down restaurants and grab‑and‑go spots throughout the concourses and terminals.

Do airport restaurants and shops take cash?

Policies vary by vendor, but common patterns at ATL include:

• Many larger or newer locations lean toward card-only or cashless systems
• Some newsstands, souvenir shops, and smaller food counters still accept cash at the register
• Self‑service kiosks and app-based ordering may require card or mobile payment

Expect a mixed environment, with more emphasis on cards and digital payments than you’ll see at many local Atlanta neighborhoods.

If you only have cash

If you prefer paying cash for meals or snacks:

• Ask before ordering whether the location accepts cash
• If they don’t, use a nearby cash-to-card kiosk to load money onto a prepaid card
• Keep a small prepaid balance just for airport use, especially if you fly out of ATL often

For Atlanta-area residents who rarely use cards elsewhere, ATL is one place where having at least one reliable card option makes things much smoother.

Airline Tickets, Bag Fees, and Cash

If you arrive at ATL needing to buy a ticket, pay for checked bags, or change your reservation at the counter, cash may not be accepted.

Most airlines at ATL prefer card payments

At Hartsfield‑Jackson, many major airlines:

• Accept credit or debit cards for tickets and baggage at the counter
• Encourage passengers to pay online or through their mobile app
• May not accept cash at all at certain service points

Because ATL is such a large, high-traffic hub, many airlines have standardized cashless operations here for speed and security.

What to do if you need to pay an airline with cash

If you’re standing in the Domestic Terminal or International Terminal with only cash:

1. Ask the airline agent whether they accept cash at that counter
2. If they don’t, use a cash-to-card kiosk in the terminal to generate a payment card
3. Return to the airline counter or use a self‑service kiosk, app, or website to pay with that card

This is especially important for baggage fees and same-day flight changes, which are often handled right at the airport.

Ground Transportation: Cash vs Card Options

Once you land in Atlanta, how you get from Hartsfield‑Jackson to Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, or beyond depends a lot on whether you’re paying with cash or card.

MARTA (Train) from the Airport

The MARTA station is inside the Domestic Terminal at ATL, providing a direct rail link to much of Atlanta.

• You can buy Breeze cards and Breeze tickets with cash at MARTA vending machines
• Machines usually accept bills and coins, and you load value onto a card
• This is one of the most cash-friendly ways to leave the airport

If you’re staying near a rail-accessible area like Downtown, Midtown, or near Peachtree Center, MARTA is both budget-friendly and cash-acceptable.

Taxis from the Airport

Official airport taxis typically:

• Do accept cash
• Often also accept cards, but it’s wise to ask before you get in
• Offer flat rates to some parts of the city (for example, to Downtown or Buckhead), which you can pay in cash

If you want to rely on cash:

• Head to the taxi stand outside the terminal
• Confirm “Can I pay cash?” with the driver before the ride starts

Ride Share (Uber, Lyft, etc.)

For Uber, Lyft, and similar services picking up at ATL:

• You cannot pay the driver in cash for the ride
• All payments go through the app by card or digital wallet
• The pickup areas are clearly signed, but you’ll need an active account with a saved payment method

If you only have cash and want to use rideshare, you can:

1. Use a cash-to-card kiosk inside the terminal
2. Add that prepaid card to your ride-share app as a payment method

ATMs and Accessing Cash in the Airport

If you need more cash while at ATL, you’ll find ATMs throughout the terminals and concourses. However:

• ATMs give you cash, which helps outside the airport
• Inside the airport, many services are moving toward card-only
• You may still prefer to use ATMs if you’re immediately leaving for cash-based areas or local shops in Atlanta

In other words, cash is still extremely useful once you get into the city—especially around local markets, small businesses, and certain neighborhoods—but inside the airport itself, you’ll often have to convert it into card form.

Practical Tips for Cash Users at Hartsfield‑Jackson

If you’re an Atlanta resident or visitor who mainly uses cash, here are ways to avoid surprises at the airport:

• Before you go to ATL:

  • Try to bring at least one working debit or credit card
  • If you don’t have one, be prepared to use cash-to-card kiosks right after you enter the terminals

• For parking:

  • Assume on-site airport parking is card-only at the exit
  • If you must bring cash, plan an extra 10–15 minutes to find and use a cash-to-card kiosk before you leave

• For food and shopping:

  • Ask at the counter “Do you take cash?” before ordering
  • If they don’t, convert what you need at a kiosk and pay with your new card

• For ground transportation:

  • MARTA and taxis are the easiest options if you want to pay cash
  • Ride-share and many shuttles will require a card or digital payment

In everyday Atlanta life, cash is still widely accepted in many places. But inside Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport, expect a card-first, often cashless environment, and be ready to use cash-to-card kiosks, prepaid cards, or standard debit/credit to move smoothly through parking, food, shopping, and flights.