Atlanta airport unveils new South Parking Deck, adding more than 7,000 spaces

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Travelers who regularly park at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are getting new options, and airport officials say it should be faster and easier to find a spot.

Airport leaders on Thursday unveiled the new South Parking Deck, which adds 6,429 spaces in the deck itself and 1,197 additional spaces in the South Economy Lot.

Officials say the deck is designed to cut down on the time drivers spend circling for parking. The facility includes a space guidance system that uses red and green lights to show where spots are open.

The deck also connects to the South Terminal area via a pedestrian bridge. Travelers should be able to park and walk to the ticket counters in under 10 minutes.

Security upgrades were also part of the project. Officials say the facility includes expanded camera coverage across all seven floors, with the system overlaid with artificial intelligence technology to help monitor the deck.

“With the red light green light system, the parking guidance system where you don’t have to drive around looking for a vehicle, it should take you a fraction of the time that it would take you if that wasn’t in place,” said Ricky Smith, general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The opening comes as airport parking remains more expensive following last year’s rate hike. Daily parking for the decks is $30. Hourly parking costs $10 an hour, up from $3 before last spring.

City and airport officials touted the new deck as another step toward keeping the world’s busiest airport moving efficiently, saying Atlanta should lead in innovation all the way down to how efficient parking is.