ATLAirport Guide

Service animals at Atlanta airport: relief areas, TSA screening and airline help

ATL's relief areas are indoors on every concourse and open to all pets. What TSA does with a service animal, and what American, Delta and United say.

The frosted glass door and windows of the service animal relief room on a concourse at Atlanta airport, a blue dog pictogram on the door.
The service animal relief room on Concourse A at Atlanta airport

A service animal handler doesn’t have to leave security at ATL, because every concourse has an indoor Service Animal Relief Area. The areas are open to all passenger pets, so you’ll share them with other animals, and the two outdoor spots mean leaving the checkpoint.

What the relief areas offer a handler

ATL’s news item describes the equipment in each area. It has an automated entry door, and all its equipment is ADA accessible. A ground-level drinking fountain is there too, with a single sink on an adjacent wall for freshening up before you leave.

The indoor areas are:

  • Concourse T: near Gate T7
  • Concourse A: near Gate A10
  • Concourse B: near Gate B33
  • Concourse C: near Gate C17 or C19
  • Concourse D: at D Centerpoint
  • Concourse E: near Gate E14 or E15
  • Concourse F: near Gate F7

ATL’s amenities page gives Gates C17 and E15, and its relief areas news item gives C19 and E14. The areas are always open, and our pet relief page lists each one. ATL’s maps page also offers a printable ADA and Special Services Map that marks the relief areas.

The two outdoor spots are Poochie Park, a fenced dog park outside doors W1 and W2 on Domestic Terminal South, and a spot outside door A1 on the International Terminal arrivals level.

What TSA does with a service animal

TSA’s disabilities page sets out the screening:

  • Tell the officer about your service animal. TSA says it won’t separate you from the animal.
  • In the Standard and TSA PreCheck lanes, you and the animal are screened by the walk-through metal detector. You can walk through together, or lead the animal through separately on a leash.
  • If you alarm the detector, you and the animal get additional screening, including a pat-down. If you decline the detector, you both get a pat-down.
  • The officer asks for your help before touching the animal. The animal’s collar, leash, backpack and vest are screened too, and TSA suggests ones with little to no metal. Items you need to keep control of the animal don’t have to come off.
  • The animal’s food and medication go through X-ray or inspection. Separate large quantities and tell the officer what they’re for.
  • If you leave the checkpoint to relieve the animal, you both go through screening again. Ask to move to the front of the line when you return.

ATL’s security page says every checkpoint is ADA accessible. It also tells passengers who need extra help to contact TSA Cares 72 hours before the flight. For which checkpoint is open at your hour, our security page has the published hours.

What the airlines say

ATL doesn’t define a service animal or say what an airline may ask for, so check your airline’s own rules.

Airline Before you fly At ATL
American Airlines Approval is required at least 48 hours before the flight, requested under Special Assistance. Call Reservations for seating help Ask a supervisor at the gate to escort you to the animal relief area, and ask at the gate if you want to board early
Delta Air Lines A Service Animals page lists the requirements. Seats near the front can be reserved for customers with a service animal: message Delta or call 404-209-3434 (dial 711 for Relay Services) Sky Club rules, below
United Airlines The help center lists Service dogs, with guidelines, policies and how to add a service dog to your profile Not stated
Southwest Airlines Not stated Employees direct a customer to a service animal relief area on request

In a Delta Sky Club, Delta’s house rules ask that a service animal:

  • is clean, trained to behave in public and under your control at all times
  • stays out of seats made for lounge customers
  • doesn’t eat or drink from Sky Club serviceware
  • doesn’t roam, bark, growl or bite
  • sits on the floor at the food bar

Our lounges page lists the clubs at ATL.

If a handler runs into a problem

Delta says to ask its airport customer service staff for a Complaint Resolution Official, who is trained on the Department of Transportation’s disability rules. American’s page points to the Air Carrier Access Act, which DOT enforces on flights to, from or within the United States. It lists the hotline for air travelers with disabilities at 800-778-4838, or 800-455-9880 for TTY.

ATL’s Customer Experience Representatives answer questions, give directions and help at security checkpoints. Our information desks page lists where they stand. If you also need a wheelchair, our accessibility services page lists where wheelchair assistance is offered.

Sources