Flying out of Atlanta this Memorial Day? Arrive early for security

They don’t call it the “world’s busiest airport” for nothing, and that will certainly be the case this Memorial Day weekend at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International.

The airport said Tuesday it expects to move nearly 400,000 people through its concourses starting Thursday and wrapping up on Monday, with more than 85,000 alone expected to depart on big ol’ jet airliners Friday, which should be the most hectic day.

Airport management is advising passengers to arrive at least two hours prior to departure for domestic flights and three hours early for international trips. To help with the crush, there will be a “substantially expanded” security queuing area, with the recent addition of 20 new automated screen lanes, giving the airport 22 in all, it said.

“These lanes increase by 30 percent the number of travelers passing through the screening process. The screening lanes opened nearly two weeks ahead of schedule,” the airport said in a release.

Security is expected to be a focal point as well, it said, with local, state and federal law enforcement officers to be “hyper-vigilant to any threats” and promising a “strong, visible presence” as people embark on a holiday that will launch the 2017 summer travel season.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport saw 104,171,935 passengers in 2016, up 2.6 percent from the year before. That traffic included just over 898,000 aircraft movements, an increase of 1.8 percent. Airports Council International confirmed in April that the Atlanta airport was the busiest in the world last year, marking the 19th year in a row it has held that designation.

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Flying out of Atlanta this Memorial Day? Arrive early for security."