Baggage claim at Atlanta airport: North, South and the international carousels

Domestic bags come out at North or South baggage claim, both in the Domestic Terminal, and the Plane Train does the long walk there. International flights use the seven carousels in the International Terminal. ATL’s flight results page tells you which one is yours.

Which claim is yours?

Search your flight on ATL’s flight search page and read the Terminal and Bag columns. Terminal says North, South or INTL. Bag gives the carousel number, INTL, or dashes when the page lists none. Our arrivals and departures guide walks through those results.

Carousel numbers repeat on both sides. North and South each have a #3 and a #5, so match the side as well as the number. ATL’s airline directory doesn’t say which airline uses which claim, so trust the flight’s own row.

What faces the carousels in the Domestic Terminal

ATL’s directory places a few shops and services across from numbered carousels, which helps if your bag is slow.

Where do you go once you have your bag?

• MARTA’s Airport Station sits between the North and South claims. The airport’s directory lists it open 24 hours, but the last Gold train leaves at 1:20 a.m. and the first at 4:36 a.m. on weekdays. Our MARTA rail page lists the fares.
• For Uber and Lyft, ATL’s rideshare page sends you through North baggage claim to the escalators between doors N2 and N3. ATL’s ground transportation page words the same escalators as “between doors LN1”. Collecting bags on the South side doesn’t change the route.
• MARTA’s airport page puts the free shuttles outside Domestic baggage claim. Our shuttle page has the one to the International Terminal. The SkyTrain to the Rental Car Center is a separate ride, on our SkyTrain page.

International bags come out at seven carousels

On the Arrivals level of the International Terminal you cross the Customs and Border Protection hall, then reach baggage claim. ATL’s FAQ says the seven carousels hold bags for Atlanta-bound passengers arriving at Concourse E or F, and for connecting passengers arriving at Concourse F. Our customs guide walks through the Customs and Border Protection hall.

A transition area lies past baggage claim on Concourse F. Atlanta-bound passengers turn right into the Arrivals hall, where friends and family wait. Passengers connecting to other U.S. destinations turn left to the baggage recheck counters, then follow signs to the Concourse F Plane Train or the pedestrian walkway.

ATL’s fact sheet says Atlanta-bound passengers can’t return to the secured areas after they collect luggage here, so ATL runs shuttles from this level to other facilities. For rental cars, ATL’s maps page lists a direct shuttle from the arrivals level to the Rental Car Center. ATL’s FAQ describes another route, the free shuttle to the Domestic Terminal and then the SkyTrain. Bag Services has one desk at International Arrivals, listed with no hours.

Where do oversize bags go?

Oversize Baggage Screening is in the Domestic Terminal and at International Departures, and there is an Oversize Baggage Drop at International Departures. The Domestic Terminal and International Terminal screening points have no listed hours, airline or exact spot. Nothing on ATL’s pages says where oversize bags come out on arrival, so your airline is the one to ask.

A bag that never arrives is a different problem. Our delayed or lost baggage guide covers the report and the airline baggage offices.

Sources

• Our baggage services page, North and South baggage claim listings, MARTA rail page, shuttle page and SkyTrain page
• ATL’s FAQ, rideshare page, ground transportation page, fact sheet, maps page and flight search page
• MARTA’s airport page