ATL Intl. question

Nance,
There is indeed an outdoor shuttle that you will take to our new fabulous International Terminal. Allow 20 - 30 minutes for the actual journey and up to 15 or 20 minutes wait time for the shuttle itself! It has room for 14 passengers and luggage, hard to believe. I live in Atlanta and the money must have run out when it came time to plan this part.
My point here is be sure to allow ample time to get to the International Terminal.
Best wishes for a great trip!
Judy

Thank you very much Judy. We have a two hour layover both ways so hopefully that will allow enough time to travel between terminals and go through security. Since we have to go outside I guess that means we get to go through security twice each way.

Nance,
The International Terminal really is fabulous I was not being facetious. Things will move very efficiently so I think 2 hours will be okay. I am always nervous when making connecting flights so it is also good that you are doing carry on.
Are you going on a RS tour? I think I have seen your name on some other threads on the forum.

I hope this helps.

Judy B

Hi Judy, yes, we are on the BOE 21 starting October 11. We will depart for Amsterdam on October 1 and spend a week there and then 2 days in Haarlem prior to the tour.

That sounds wonderful! October 1st is next week. Have a great time, glad you are able to spend several days before the tour begins.

I hope you will share a report of your adventures on this forum. I will look forward to reading it.
Best, Judy B

Nance,
Unless things have changed recently, you should be able to go from your arriving flight from JAX via the "plane train" to your flight to Europe without having to leave the secured area. Ergo no need for the outside shuttle. Returning, from Europe you have to clear customs. Then you may or may not be in the secured area. If not, no problem. Just go back through security and get the train to the terminal for the flight to JAX. I love the ATL international terminal, but things seem to change about a bit so be prepared to adapt.

TC,
Thanks for your post. I did not mean to give incorrect information. Because I live here and when I am not being dropped directly at the International Terminal, I have had to take the outdoor shuttle a couple times for overseas flights.

Nance, it sounds like you will be fine.

Best,
Judy B

Nance we went through Atlanta when we did the BOE 21 day tour this past April/May. It was very easy to get to the International terminal from the domestic using the plane-train. We had a 3 hour lay over (first trip international and flying for that matter so made extra time) and that was plenty because we actually sat around for about 1 1/2 hours waiting. Food choice in the international is not as great as the domestic (not as many choices) so you may want to eat before going to the international terminal. As for our return trip we had a five hour layover which was entirely too long. We could have easily gotten away with a 3 hour. Customs went fast but not sure if we were lucky or not. I have heard that ATL customs can take about 2 hours but we were through there in about 30 minutes. We arrived about 4:30 in the afternoon (Wednesday).

You are going to have a blast on your BOE 21 day trip. Is this your first European trip? We have been bitten by the travel bug now and are planning a trip to the South of France next year (RS Loire and South of France). We stayed two days before the tour started in Haarlem and you are going to love it. We are going to stay some days after the tour but still deciding what to do. The pre-tour days we are bringing our sons to see Normandy and Paris.

Have fun.

I've not gone thru ATL flying international since the Terminal F has been built. But if you've got a layover and you're looking for food, the Terminal E has a number of good restaurants.

I've not gone thru ATL flying international since the Terminal F has been built. But if you've got a layover and you're looking for food, the Terminal E has a number of good restaurants.

Agree with Carole regarding the food options in the international terminal. They are just not as plentiful as in the domestic terminal.

I agree with Carole and TC. I was very disappointed last time (leaving the States) that my husband and I had not found something to eat in the "old"/domestic part of the airport before we got ourselves to the international terminal. I felt like the new international airport was all looks and no substance (and a whole lot of wasted space to traverse), and we really did have a hard time finding something just decent to eat. There seemed to be all manner of sit-down/fine dining, and then just junk on the cheap side. I'll take David's advice and try for Terminal E next time. Or whatever is my regular terminal arriving to ATL out of Tulsa.

Oh, thank you, thank you, for letting me know about the plane train being another way to go. I am used to that so feel more comfortable finding my way and really feel relieved that I shouldn't have to go outside and catch a shuttle. My brother is going to take us to the airport in Jax so I imagine we will lunch with him just before he drops us off and then might have a snack before boarding Int. as dinner will be served on the plane, but thanks so much for the heads up about few choices in the F terminal.

Carole, yes, this is our first European trip and we are so excited! My clothes are packed - got them all into one large ebag and one slim ebag. I have more space in my RS bag than I can use or it will end up too heavy. Working on husband's today. Paring, paring, paring on all the gadgets and "stuff" to keep lightening up. I have already been considering travel for next year but can't decide where. I want us to do it NOW while we are physically able and not let time slip by. Would really like to do the Turkey tour, would like to go for a week each in Germany, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Hubby wants Spain.

I think it would be great fun if some of us got together and did a tour together!

Nance I had practice the packing numerous times before leaving and it still took me 4 hours the day before we left to complete it. The clothes were not the problem it was "all" the extra stuff we took which at the end we did not need. I thought I would use a tablet for maps (I do not use a tablet at home). The only time I used the tablet was when we were walking from the train station to our hotel in Bayeux at the end of our trip and it was not worth it so not taking next time. A paper map was much easier for us. I brought an extra pair of shoes with me that did not get worn until the final night of the tour (final dinner) because I said I brought them I need to wear them. One pair next time. As for toiletries I brought way to much shampoo, body wash, etc then I needed. We had e-bags also and they were great. Enjoyed having the backpack one because it was very convenient when walking from the bus to the hotel. Glad I did not have to carry the wheeled bag up the stairs, the weight was on my back which was not much (21 pounds). Now for the souvenirs they got heavier as we went but not unbearable.

I am excited for you on this trip, knowing what fun you are going to have. Hopefully you can keep us posted on your adventures.

Carole - I use my tablet every day - in the evening during tv, before bed to either read or play some gin-rummy, etc. I use it for email or tapa talk on forums also so I think I will get use out of it. it JUST fits down inside my little Travelon slim bag. I have thrown out all shampoo and conditioner except for one tiny slab of Chagrin Valley hair and body soap. I was back to taking both Presidios but am questioning that. At the end of the day I like to put on something that feels different and although I am taking flip flops I can't wear those to dinner. I can wear my Alegrias and walk 3-4 miles in them but not 10.... undecided there. I might end up flipping a quarter.

Nance -- just my .02, I always take two pairs of shoes because I feel like my feet need a "break." i.e. that when you're doing that much walking they need a change from time to time. That's obviously not the case for everyone, you will know what YOUR body needs best!

Thanks Kim. Even though it will add unwanted weight there is no way I would go anywhere without a minimum of two pair shoes so I will be doing that - still on fence about which two pair.

I've had good luck with both Ecco and the newer Pei Wei in F when it comes to food. One Flew South in E gets a ton of good reviews. There's also a middles eastern quick food place in D that's tasty and one of their schwarma dinners can easily feed two.

I'm also a fan of keeping walking when I'm connecting at airports because it helps me sleep better later on. You can actually walk to F from the rest of the airport though it's not really well-signed. Follow the pedestrain underground tunnel that runs next to the plane trains, come up where you have to at E, and then walk in the direction of F. Like Harry Potter's platform 9 3/4 the route will just kind of appear when you get to the big picture windows that are just across the tarmac from F, and then there are stairs that will take you down under the apron again to get out there.

There is also an interesting museum display out in E-F of illegal to import items into the USA that have been seized by US Customs.

Signed,

Seems to spend a lot of time roaming the ATL

Hahaha - thanks Selkie! You are a wealth of info. and loved the HP reference. From now on that is how I will think of Concourse F.