Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport sees roughly 275,000 travelers pass through its gates every day. That’s about 1.9 million people in a week. That’s more than what airports in Chattanooga and Montgomery deal with combined all year. But as anyone who’s ever trekked through ATL knows, with all the long lines come short fuses for many flyers.
And unfortunately, the headaches aren’t just around the holidays. Be it spring break, summer vacation or random Saturdays in October, no time on the calendar is safe from the congestion.
The sooner travelers realize this, the sooner they’ll see how much sense PS makes as an ATL airport alternative. Like your own personal terminal, PS takes the stress out of the world’s busiest airport by getting you in and out of Atlanta without ever setting one foot inside a terminal.
A favorite of well-heeled travelers and celebrities for years in Los Angeles — in fact, when we first experienced the service in Los Angeles back in late 2019, we bumped into actress Tia Mowry — PS sends staffers to meet you at the door and take you to the public salon or private suite (depending on what you’ve reserved beforehand), where you can dine, drink and decompress before or after your commercial flight.
If Atlanta is your departure city, you enjoy PS’ many amenities (more on those in a second) before you’re escorted through TSA or customs — the whole scene is a frequent flyer’s fantasy, where your group is likely to be the only one in the room — and whisked away in a snazzy BMW that drives directly on the runway to your aircraft. Drivers get you to any Hartsfield gate from PS in eight to 12 minutes, all without a Plane Train ride or having to wait for your zone to be called.
The peace of mind comes at a price, though. Using the public salon one-way costs $1,095, but you get up to three hours in a contemporarily styled, local-art-filled area where you can sample tasty bites and beverages. Envision the swankiest American Express Centurion Lounge you’ve visited, only with fewer people and floor-to-forever windows that look out to a soothing parade of planes taking off and landing.
No one under 18 is allowed in the salon — hence the sense of serenity as you peruse The New York Times or one of the coffee table books. Families of up to four members must reserve one of the three private suites ($4,850), but the hotel-room-sized space comes packed with a couch, a shower, a minibar running over with snacks and a goodie basket with earbuds and other gadgets. Prices are reduced for those with an annual membership. Complimentary spa services and valet parking are added perks at this higher level as well.
Salon or suite, just make sure you leave enough time to eat. A rotating selection of gratis chef dishes is always on the menu. So too are complimentary caviar and welcome wellness shots. When we visited during the holiday season, the kitchen also served a carver’s sandwich that was stuffed with sliced turkey, dressing and cranberry chutney that tasted like a Thanksgiving feast. Few things on Hartsfield-Jackson’s menu could compete.
Beyond the cuisine and convenience, another area where PS takes off is with its shuttle service. For a separate fee, a Secret Service-like black SUV will pick you up from your desired address and take you to the PS terminal or, if you’re flying into Atlanta, can take you from the terminal to your home, Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta or anywhere else you’d like.
Speaking of which, PS CEO Amina Porter insists that the Four Seasons-level service many luxury travelers are accustomed to is the benchmark her company aims for at every turn. And from the courteous hostess wheeling in your luggage to the server insistent that your glass of Sprite never falls under 75 percent full, the luxe terminal achieves its lofty goal. Staffers’ warm smiles and heartfelt conversations feel friendly. When was the last time you said that about an airport experience?
PS will expand its footprint to Dallas and Miami in the next year, giving people in those two big U.S. markets the chance to taste tranquility on travel days. As for flyers in ATL and LAX, their relief is already here. They need only to look around the winding TSA line and chaotic baggage claim scene to find it.
Stay tuned for our 2024 Star Awards announcement on February 7.
