If you think Atlanta’s pre-World Cup preparations are limited to gangbusters construction in blocks around Mercedes-Benz Stadium, think again.
That’s the message this month from Fulton County’s airport that isn’t the busiest on the planet—one of just two 24/7-tower airports in Georgia—as the 2026 FIFA World Cup edges closer. (Just 410 days away now).
Located about nine miles due west of downtown Atlanta, Fulton County Executive Airport has been gearing up for an expected influx of international flights next year by implementing infrastructure upgrades that airport leadership calls significant.
Currently, those include new customs services and improved runway conditions, funded with a $6 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, that expand capabilities of the 900-acre facility at 3977 Aviation Circle also known as Charlie Brown Field.
Courtesy of Fulton County Executive Airport; Goode Van Slyke Architecture
The 3977 Aviation Circle NW airfield in relation to downtown Atlanta. Google Maps
Near-term plans at the airport that logged 78,000 operations in 2024 call for more hangars (from 19 to at least 25) and a new fire station—in addition to a runway extension within the next two years—to satisfy increased demand and keep pace with competing airfields Cobb County International Airport at McCollum Field and Peachtree-DeKalb Airport, as Saporta Report recently relayed.
Fulton County Executive Airport is a landing spot for some of the world’s top brands (Norfolk Southern, Home Depot, and Arthur Blank’s family operations have leased hangars) that helps keep Atlanta’s movers-and-shakers globally connected.
The airport's upgraded Air Craft Rescue and Fire station. Courtesy of Fulton County Executive Airport
Courtesy of Fulton County Executive Airport
Changes happening now and planned in the future—commercial redevelopment beyond the airport’s Fulton Industrial Boulevard boundary is one possibility, according to a 2023 presentation—aim to create a seamless and efficient service for international travelers, both existing and new, according to airport reps.
“These upgrades are not just about capacity,” reads a recent announcement, “they signify the airport's commitment to supporting Atlanta’s economic growth and its status as a global city.”
Overview of near and long-term upgrades planned at Fulton County Executive Airport, as presented to county commissioners two years ago. Courtesy of Fulton County Executive Airport; 2023
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