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Atlanta Airport's New $1.4 Billion Dollar International Terminal is Open!

Smell that? That's the scent of brand new airport, as Atlanta's Airport opens the doors to their brand new Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal today. The building is 1.2 million square feet with 12 gates, and cost $1.4 billion to complete. Now that is finally completed, however, what can you expect as a traveler winging your way to or from far-away destinations?

Yummy, convenient food options. Pei Wei Asian Diner, The Varsity (classic American burgers and hot dogs), Ecco Kitchen, Jekyll Island Seafood Company, Lorena Garcia Tapas Bar, Maison Mathis, Sweet Auburn Market Café, The Pecan, and The original El Taco will fill out the terminal, and of course there will be a Starbucks. Notice no Sbarro for reheated, overpriced pizza slices! Progress!

(Hopefully) faster, easier security. There'll be two security checkpoints in the new terminal, with a total of 13 lanes. Of course those won't all be in use at the same time, but we have high hopes for an airport that's been designed after 9/11, after the introduction of mobile boarding passes and after years of new security rule after new security rule.

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The Scoop on the New Restaurants and Shops Headed to Atlanta Airport

The biggest airport news of the year here at home is probably the planned expansion of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Things are supposed to be ready to go around May 16, so if you’re heading through or to the airport anytime soon be sure to check out all the new airport goodies. We’re excited to see how the new terminal differs from all the others at the airport, and of course there’s a particular interest in all the new shops and restaurants.

Initially there should be like 20 shops and restaurants up and running, and after that there will be a trickle of new options here and there that just couldn’t get it together in time for the grand opening. As far as eats are concerned there’s a brand new airport outpost of the city’s iconic hamburger and hot dog palace known as The Varsity. It looks like they might even be selling their famous chili right at the counter, so you can bring some home as an airport souvenir. Just be ready to go with your order when they call out “what’ll ya have?”

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Atlanta Airport Wants YOU to Test Drive Their New International Terminal

Despite the lack of a brand new Chick-fil-A, we’re still pretty excited to see what the brand new international terminal at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is all about. The hard hats are coming off slowly but surely, and workers are starting to clean up the construction debris in preparation for the terminal’s grand opening. However, before the new slice of the airport can start getting passengers and planes, the airport is asking for your help to get things ready.

On Wednesday, May 2, the airport is planning a trial run of the new facility and they need like 1,500 volunteers to help test things out. We’re not sure if you’re going to need to flush all the toilets at exactly the same time, but all we know is that we’re a little jealous that we’re too far from Atlanta to easily help out.

Volunteers will get a script and an itinerary, as airport officials want fake travelers to fully act out their role in and around the airport. They’re even asking that you bring a couple pieces of luggage, so that they can test out the baggage handling system. It sounds like they promise that they’ll returned things unharmed, but we’d probably bring the Samsonite instead of the Louis Vuitton just in case.

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You Guys, Delta Just Did a Flashmob

Oh my god. Well if it wasn't obvious before, it is now: airline/airport flashmobs are the new black.

Latest on the travel flashmob trend is Delta, who just barely released a 5-minute dance, incorporating flight crew and operations peeps from ATL, JFK, DTW and TOC (Technical Operations Center).

It starts off corny, but stay with it. It gets...cornier, but omg do we want to hug everyone involved. See the full video:

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150 New Restaurants Due to Arrive at ATL, Including Ludacris' 'Chicken n Beer'

There’s already plenty of awesome options for eats when you travel to—or through—Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, but now even more new restaurants on due to arrive. It’s all part of the latest and greatest addition to the airport, as ATL’s new international terminal is scheduled to debut later this year.

Airport officials haven’t specified where—or when—each new establishment will do its thing, but many of these will hold grand openings later this year, between the new terminal and other vacancies across the airport. In total the city council handed out like $3 billion in concession contracts; that should keep travelers satisfied and satiated for like the next ten years or so.

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Atlanta's Airport Will Install a 'New Front Door' in 2012

Everyone has an opinion on Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but lovers and haters can probably agree that the place’s newest terminal should be good for travelers.

The airport already has like 20 terminals—there’s actually six concourses off the main terminal—but they’re planning to add on one more after Terminal E. We’re still several months away, but the billion dollar project should be finished up by next spring. Flying through, we’ve noticed that things on the outside look pretty close to being done, so once the inside is loaded up with a Starbucks or two it should be ready to go.

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TSA Launches Faster 'PreCheck' Security Lines, But There's a Catch

TSA has been a veritable mad scientist's laboratory of experiments lately, all aimed—depending on how cynical you are—either at improving security, getting the public to stop whining about intrusive security measures, or some combination of the two (hint: it's some combination of the two).

They're going out of their way not to pat down babies, they're launching Israeli-style security screenings, they're rolling out gingerbread man scanners, and now they're launching a new program to speed frequent fliers through security. Ambitious!

The new program, dubbed PreCheck, is in its pilot phase at ATL, MIA, DFW, and DTW. Selected frequent fliers who shared their information with TSA before they arrived at the airport are being offered—in exchange—a line that allows them get through screening much more quickly. It's kind of "basic trade-off," as the Associated Press writeup so eloquently puts it.

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If You Can Hide Things In Your Hair, the TSA Will Be Going in There

Does it make us bad people that we sort of don't care about this? A passenger broke down because TSA agents poked into her large hair. We don't think it's a case of racial profiling—even the ostensible victim seems to be complaining about the intrusive patdown itself, not its motivation—and after that we just kind of can't get worked up. Plus Jaunted writers have gone through similar searches, and left the screening area decidedly untraumatized.

This is the same position we take when babies' strollers set off bomb detectors or grandmothers' diapers are arranged suspiciously. What do you expect the TSA to do?

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A Layover History Lesson at Atlanta Airport

As the world’s busiest airport, ATL can be pretty stressful. And, on one of the tightest connections we’ve ever had, a couple of weeks ago, we were feeling that stress ourselves.

That was until we walked out onto concourse E and saw this small exhibit about Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s life, containing photographs and items including King’s radio, the robe he wore when accepting the Nobel Peace Prize and the suit he wore to meet Lyndon Johnson.

Sadly, because of our tight connection, we didn’t get to spend enough time looking at it, but from the airport’s website, it appears that it’s a long-term loan from the King Center, and part of ATL’s Airport Art Program. Other exhibits include an astronomy gallery and a 30ft dinosaur in the main terminal atrium. Because there’s nothing like getting your adrenalin pumping with thoughts of Jurassic Park before catching a flight, right?

Beat that, Amsterdam.

[Photo: Jaunted]

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Guzzling Some Avion Tequila During Delta SkyClub's Thursday Happy Hours

To celebrate the arrival of Avión Tequila at Delta SkyClub airport lounges, Delta and Avión have been hosting happy hour shindigs from 5pm to 7pm on Thursdays. We just happened to be in the neighborhood last week, and we’re already looking forward to another layover filled with agave spirits.

While killing some time in Atlanta we made our way to the SkyClub in the center of Concourse A near the Chili’s—after stopping at Chick-fil-A obviously. We got there a little early and warmed up with a glass of Sweetwater Pale Ale and waited for 5pm to arrive.

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Walk Off Extra Calories While Traveling Through Five Airports with Fitness Programs

There’s a lot of tempting treats as you make your way through the airport during a layover, and sometimes it’s hard to resist the onslaught of slices from Sbarro and frappuccinos from Starbucks. However, walking is always a good way to combat those pesky extra calories, and many airports have gone the extra mile—ha—to help you. Here’s a few airports where walking through the concourses and terminals will help you burn off a few extra calories:

· Move It At MSP:
Up at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport it’s always a good time to take a stroll through the airport to get the blood pumping—even when it’s bitterly cold outside. Airport officials have partnered with the American Heart Association to encourage travelers to “Start!” moving. There’s a clearly marked 1.4-mile loop that will take you through most of Terminal 1-Lindbergh, so if you’ve got an hour to burn it’s one good option especially since it drops you off right where you started. Do it a couple times and your half way to earning yourself a Snickers!

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Kids Traveling Solo Now Have Their Very Own Delta Lounge at Atlanta Airport

Traveling with children can sometimes be a pain, but Delta’s got a new idea that might make things a little better. For right now it’s only for unaccompanied minors traveling without Mom or Dad, but maybe eventually it’ll be open for all the little ones to swing by and blow off some steam.

The Delta Sky Zone is open in Atlanta on Concourses, B, C, and E, and it’s available to those little ones connecting all by themselves—or with a little help from Delta employees. Inside, kids have access to brand new furniture to bounce all over, XBOX 360s, and unfortunately some kind of educational materials. We’re thinking that there’s got to be some soda and chips thrown in their too, or at least a little tap water. Video games during a layover would definitely make us thirsty!

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