1 9 6 4 ; ▁the ▁first ▁scheduled ▁international ▁non st ops ▁were ▁Eastern ▁fl ights ▁to ▁Mexico ▁City ▁and ▁J ama ica ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 – 7 2 . ▁Non st ops ▁to ▁Europe ▁started ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁to ▁Asia ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 – 9 3 . ▁ ▁Atlanta ▁claimed ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁country ' s ▁bus iest ▁air port , ▁with ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁million ▁passengers ▁passing ▁through ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and , ▁between ▁no on ▁and ▁ 2 p . m . ▁each ▁day , ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁world ' s ▁bus iest ▁air port . ▁( The ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁O AG ▁shows ▁ 1 6 5 ▁week day ▁depart ures ▁from ▁Atlanta , ▁including ▁ 4 5 ▁between ▁ 1 2 : 0 5 ▁and ▁ 2 : 0 0 ▁PM ▁( and ▁ 2 0 ▁between ▁ 2 : 2 5 ▁and ▁ 4 : 2 5 ▁AM ). ) ▁Chicago ▁Mid way ▁had ▁ 4 1 4 ▁week day ▁depart ures , ▁including ▁ 4 8 ▁between ▁ 1 2 : 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 : 0 0 ▁PM . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁Atlanta ▁was ▁the ▁country ' s ▁nin th - bus iest ▁air line ▁air port ▁by ▁flight ▁count ▁and ▁about ▁the ▁same ▁by ▁passenger ▁count . ▁ ▁That ▁year ▁work ▁began ▁on ▁a ▁$ 2 1 ▁million ▁terminal ▁which ▁opened ▁May ▁