Atlanta has a special connection with air travel. Home of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest airport in the world, it is well known as an aviation hub. While some travelers may get frustrated at the long TSA lines, there are plenty of others who embrace the chaos and love Atlanta for the vast grandeur of its magnificent airport.
As you might imagine, there's plenty to love in Atlanta for aviation enthusiasts. The airport itself boasts the top-rated airport restaurant in the world, and with so many planes coming in and out every day, plane spotters will always have something to entertain themselves. But beyond the runway and duty-free shopping, there are some excellent flight-themed attractions to explore. One particular highlight is the Delta Flight Museum, a fascinating experience dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Delta and its family airlines.
The Delta Flight Museum is located on the Delta Air Lines campus, on the northern edge of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. If you are arriving by air at the airport, it is a five-minute taxi ride from the Arrivals pick-up area.
It is also just a 15-minute drive from the center of Atlanta, making it incredibly accessible.
The history of flight and thrilling airborne experiences
The Delta Flight Museum is a one-of-a-kind experience, a unique combination of fascinating history, unusual artifacts, and thrilling interactive exhibits and experiences. The space itself is impressive, housed in original 1940s aircraft hangars, filled with antique aircraft parked on the floor and hanging from the ceiling. There are some absolute gems for fans of the Golden Age of Flight, from the only surviving Waco 125 propeller plane to the Curtiss-Wright S-6000-B Sedan, Delta's first passenger flight.
While many of the exhibits will be most thrilling for serious aviation fans and plane geeks, there's plenty for everyone to enjoy, particularly younger families. Visitors can climb inside the historic Boeing 767 (The Spirit of Delta) which houses several fascinating exhibits, and explore the first Boeing 747.
The boldest travelers can even step out onto the wing of this enormous aircraft to get a sense of its impressive scale. Perhaps most exciting is the Boeing 737-200 flight simulator, which was once used to train pilots, and can be operated by groups of four people. Visitors can also take control of the landing sequence from the flight deck of a life-size Airbus A320, or explore the Douglas DC-3, Ship 41 on an immersive walk through the history of flight.
The cost of entry to the museum is $20 for adults and $15 for kids on weekdays; on weekends, entry is $22 for adults and $17 for kids. The Boeing 737-200 flight simulator has an additional cost. If you like merch, the museum shop is filled with branded Delta souvenirs, and once a month holds a surplus sale where you can buy things like old seats from the terminal and vintage Delta memorabilia.
And if you make it through the Delta Flight Museum and still have time before your next departure, check out some of the other fun things to do during a long layover in Atlanta. Or you can just kill some time reading about the strangest items ever confiscated by TSA.