Most commercial travelers are aware of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2024, this airport was the busiest airport in the world, surpassing Dubai International Airport (DXB) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Dallas, Texas, and Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) in Tokyo, Japan. Overall, this airport saw a year-over-year increase of about 3% in total passengers, and it transported over 100 million passengers throughout the year.

However, Atlanta, Georgia, is also one of the busiest metropolitan airports in the United States. In 2023, the central city was home to over 500,000 residents. Because of this, it is no wonder that the city has several other major airports. This includes Fulton County Airport (FTY), located about seven miles west of the central business district in Atlanta. This airport handles much of the general aviation traffic that would otherwise have gone to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. However, as Atlanta is hosting games in the 2026 World Cup, Fulton County Airport has been upgrading its facilities to handle potential international traffic. Let’s take a closer look at this airport, as well as how it is preparing for one of the world’s most significant international sporting events.

An Overview Of Fulton County Airport

Fulton County Airport (FTY) is located near the downtown area of Atlanta, Georgia. The airport is located close to major interstates and falls just outside of the Atlanta city limits near the Chattahoochee River. Fulton County Airport is also called Charlie Brown Airport or Brown Field, as it was named after the former Atlanta politician Charles M. Brown. Charles Brown served on the city council and county commission during the 1960s.

Nowadays, the airport sees mostly general aviation traffic. According to the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, Fulton County Airport is considered to be a reliever airport. Additionally, according to the FAA, the airport is classified as a Class D airport.

Fulton County Airport has seen nearly continuous growth since it was first founded. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the company had the following passenger boardings per year:

Fulton County Airport has also had two significant incidents in the area. In late 2013, a Beechcraft Premier I crashed on incoming terrain on approach during the night. Both occupants were killed in the crash. In December 2018, a Cessna Citation V crashed shortly after taking off from Fulton County Airport. The flight crew lost control of the aircraft due to weather conditions and spatial disorientation during the initial climb, and the aircraft crashed just over a mile from the airport. All four occupants of the Cessna Citation V were killed in the incident.

Facilities At Fulton County Airport

Fulton County Airport sees nearly 80,000 annual operations, including take-offs and landings, amounting to over 160 daily operations. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Fulton County Airport is home to just under 80 different aircraft, most of which are general aviation aircraft. This includes the following aircraft:

• 29 single-engine aircraft
• Five multi-engine aircraft
• 36 jet-powered aircraft
• Five helicopters

Overall, Fulton County Airport covers just under 1,000 total acres of land. The airport sits at an elevation of 841 feet above mean sea level (MSL). The airport itself is owned by the Fulton County Public Works Department. Additionally, Fulton County Airport operates two runways with the following dimensions:

Fulton County Airport includes an air traffic control tower and fire station, which are manned 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The airport is also home to two popular fixed-base operators (FBOs): Hill Aircraft Corporation and Signature Flight Support. Fulton County Airport is also home to significant hangar space. These hangars are rented by major corporations, such as Norfolk Southern and Home Depot, and Arthur Blank stores his private jet fleet at the airport.

Why Upgrade Fulton County Airport?

Fulton County Airport is also considered to be the primary reliever of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as it is located just eleven miles away. Additionally, the airport sees a large number of private aviation flights, typically from wealthy travelers flying to Atlanta from across the US and around the world.

Additionally, Atlanta is a home city for the upcoming 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. This is the largest international soccer tournament in the world, typically held among the men’s national teams from countries worldwide. The event has recently expanded to host 48 teams, significantly increasing from the 32 teams the tournament hosted. The World Cup is held every four years, meaning that the next one will be in June and July 2026.

The host countries of the 2026 World Cup are Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Sixteen different venues were recently chosen as host cities of the event, including New York City, Boston, Miami, Dallas, Vancouver, Mexico City, and, of course, Atlanta, among others. The World Cup brings a massive number of tourists from competing countries. These soccer fans will travel the world for the opportunity to see their home team play at a new venue, competing for one of the most prestigious trophies in sports.

Upgrades At Fulton County Airport

Atlanta will host eight different soccer matches in the World Cup, and the city is preparing for a large influx of tourists. Because of this, Fulton County Airport is undergoing significant upgrades in preparation of the increase of international private flights. These infrastructure upgrades will help the airport handle these flights, which typically require much larger aircraft than domestic flights.

Fulton County Airport received a $6 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to help implement some of these upgrades. One of the most important upgrades is a new customs service, which is necessary for the increasing number of international flights. Additionally, the enhancements at Fulton County Airport will also feature runway upgrades to help improve the existing runway conditions.

In the near future, Fulton County Airport has several other upgrades planned. This includes a runway extension to support the operations of larger aircraft. The county also plans to add up to six additional hangars, increasing its hangar capacity to 25 total hangars.

How US Aviation Will Handle Incoming Demand

As previously mentioned, the United States is home to eleven of the sixteen host cities for the 2026 World Cup. Many of these cities have already begun making infrastructure improvements to cope with the incoming demand worldwide. One of the largest host cities, Los Angeles, California, has already committed $30 billion to overhaul its main terminals at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The airport is also launching an upgraded people mover to help transport travelers away from the busy airport.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is also experiencing upgrades as the city prepares to host the 2026 World Cup. These improvements can be summed up as:

1. North Terminal Overhaul
2. C Concourse upgrade
3. Roadway improvements
4. New routes

Other host cities around North America will most likely see a significant increase in travelers, both internationally and domestically. It is expected that many of these airports will see upgrades to help accommodate this increase.

Other Major Airports In Atlanta

Currently, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the only airport in the US that has direct flights to all sixteen of the host cities around North America. This airport is the most likely airport for travelers flying internationally from Europe and Africa, mainly due to the large number of existing operations from these continents. These visitors can easily connect from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to any remaining hosting cities.

The other major airport in Atlanta is DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK). This airport is located in Chamblee, just northeast of Atlanta. However, this airport is primarily used for private aviation travel. This airport covers about 745 acres of land and sits at an elevation of 1,003 feet above MSL. The airport has three runways with the following dimensions:

Both of these airports are expected to see a significant increase in travelers throughout the World Cup. However, Fulton County Airport, which is undergoing significant upgrades, shows that the airport also plans for a significant increase in international flights as the event arrives.