Click Map to go to Google Maps satellite view
This is one of the busiest airports in the United States, and it got even bigger in 2006 with the opening of the new south runway (see map). They don’t have an “official” observation area, but many people watch the traffic from the roof of the South Parking Garage (4th level). If traffic is operating to the east, planes will be taxiing to runway 9L and will pass directly in front of the garage. The down side is that it will cost you a parking fee of $1 per hour to enter, and you can expect to be approached by a Security Guard if you’re taking pictures. They say it’s not allowed, but from my experience the Airport Operations Dept. does not have a problem with people photographing at this location. In addition, the northeast corner of the North Parking Garage will offer a good view of planes taxiing into the “T” gates.
A second area is at the entrance to a sewage treatment plant on Lake Mirror Rd. just off the I-285 service drive. This spot gives you a good view of traffic landing to the west (runway 27L) or taking off to the east (runway 9L). Photography of landing traffic is best in the afternoon but departing traffic can be photographed in the morning due to the sun angle.
On the west side of the airport there is a recycling center which is a place where people can go and drop off cans, bottles, and paper goods into special dumpsters. It is located at the corner of Riverdale Rd. and Sullivan St. and is pretty much the opposite of the sewage plant spot – a good view of traffic landing on runway 9R or departing runway 27R, and the best time for photography is reversed from the other spot as well. People (including myself) have visited these spots recently and not been approached by Atlanta Police.
There isn’t a great variety of traffic here. Most of what you’ll see is Delta and its regional affiliates Comair & Atlantic Southeast Airlines; and AirTran Airways. In the course of a whole afternoon you’ll see very few other airlines such as United, American, and Continental. There are a few international carriers, including Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, and various cargo airlines that operate 1 daily flight at ATL such as China Airlines and Martinair.
One other spot I should mention is the Renaissance Hotel on the north side of the airport (see map). Half of the rooms face the airport and offer close views of the north runways – you can photograph from a good angle right from your room! The sun angle for photos won’t be very good though, except for June and July.
Interesting trivia: this airport was named Harsfield-Atlanta in 1971 after Atlanta’s late Mayor William B. Hartsfield, and was renamed in 2003 for the late Mayor Maynard Jackson, who ran the city during the years when ATL’s current terminal was built (1977-1980). The original airport was named Candler Field in 1925 in honor of Asa Candler, the man who turned Coca-Cola into a household name by 1900.
Link to photos from the sewage treatment plant
Link to photos from the south parking garage
Link to photos from the recycling center