▁sout he astern ▁region ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁Atlanta ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁world ' s ▁bus iest ▁air port ▁by ▁passenger ▁traffic ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁air port ▁is ▁mostly ▁in ▁un in cor por ated ▁areas ▁of ▁F ult on ▁and ▁Clay ton ▁count ies , ▁but ▁it ▁sp ills ▁into ▁the ▁city ▁limits ▁of ▁Atlanta , ▁College ▁Park , ▁and ▁H ape ville . ▁The ▁air port ' s ▁domestic ▁terminal ▁is ▁served ▁by ▁MAR TA ' s ▁Red ▁and ▁Gold ▁rail ▁lines . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁H arts field – Jack son ▁began ▁with ▁a ▁five - year , ▁rent - free ▁le ase ▁on ▁ ▁that ▁was ▁an ▁abandoned ▁auto ▁rac et rack ▁named ▁The ▁Atlanta ▁Speed way . ▁The ▁le ase ▁was ▁signed ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁by ▁Mayor ▁Walter ▁Sim s , ▁who ▁committed ▁the ▁city ▁to ▁develop ▁it ▁into ▁an ▁air field . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁agreement , ▁the ▁property ▁was ▁renamed ▁Cand ler ▁Field ▁after ▁its ▁former ▁owner , ▁C oca - Col a ▁ty co on ▁and ▁former ▁Atlanta ▁mayor ▁As a ▁Cand ler . ▁The ▁first ▁flight ▁into ▁Cand ler ▁Field ▁was ▁September ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁a ▁Florida ▁Air ways ▁mail ▁plane ▁flying ▁from ▁Jackson ville , ▁Florida . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁Pit ca ir n ▁A viation ▁began ▁service ▁to ▁Atlanta , ▁followed ▁in ▁June ▁