ATL Airport Prepares for Historic 100-Year Milestone

DALLAS — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is launching an 18-month centennial celebration beginning New Year's Eve 2024, marking 100 years since its establishment in 1925. The festivities will commence with a special countdown and centennial design displayed on the airport's signature canopies.

The airport's journey began when Mayor Walter Sims signed a lease for an abandoned racetrack on April 16, 1925. Initially known as Candler Field, the site received its first commercial flight on September 15, 1926, when Florida Airways established a mail route connecting Tampa, Jacksonville, and Atlanta.

Now the world's busiest airport, ATL expects to serve over 100 million passengers this year, with projections reaching 125 million annually within five years. The airport honors two influential Atlanta mayors: William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson, the city's first Black mayor.

As per the ATL release, “Hartsfield...served as the 47^th and 49^th mayor of Atlanta. Upon his death in 1971, the Airport’s name was changed to William B. Hartsfield Atlanta Airport. In October 2003, the Airport’s name was changed again to honor Maynard Jackson...who served as the city’s 52^nd and 54^th mayor.”

The celebration officially begins January 13, 2025,  with a press conference hosted by current Mayor Andre Dickens, featuring former Atlanta mayors and ATL General Managers. The centennial celebration will include various events, including a gala, art exhibitions, historical documentation, and future transportation insights.

The airport will provide media coverage of the New Year's Eve canopy countdown via drone footage, so stay tuned to our YouTube Channel on New Year’s Day.

Featured image: A 20-year expansion and modernization program is underway to enhance the passenger experience and meet the evolving needs of the busiest airport in the U.S. Design, architecture, engineering and planning firm HOK leads the joint venture team designing improvements to the domestic passenger terminal.

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