Atlanta's Domestic Terminal to Get Sorely Needed Update

Back when the Atlanta airport we know and love (or love to loathe) opened its doors in 1980 as simply the "midfield terminal," the name of the game was function over form. The style of the building lacked the flash of other airports of the time because it was built to be a utilitarian workhorse. Despite numerous expansions and some new artwork here and there, the domestic terminal still looks much like the concrete box it was built as 35 years ago. Back in 2012 when the Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal opened along with the F gates, Atlanta got its first real taste of designer travel. And now plans have been unveiled to bring a similar touch of style to the domestic terminal.

The City of Atlanta has released a request for proposals — a not-so-short read at 325 pages — to update the domestic terminal and underground tunnels connecting the original midfield concourses A through D. Plans call for adding flowing awnings at the curbside drives at the departures level to provide much-needed shade and rain protection for travelers to access the parking decks. Inside, there are plans to spruce up the Atrium as well as the "composure area" beyond the TSA checkpoints. The renderings leave a bit to be desired, so let's hope the city is just saving money so it can put more into the upgrades.

· Central Passenger Terminal Complex Modernization - Landside [City of Atlanta]
· Atlanta airport's domestic terminal to get 'new, fresh, modern' look [Atlanta Business Chronicle]