Flying to the Southern United States

General Information

Given the size of the region, there are countless airports, and every significant urban area has its own. However, air traffic often remains limited to direct service to regional or national "hubs" (including Atlanta) operated primarily by major U.S. airlines like American, Delta, or Southwest.

That said, the region still has two mega-airports, including Atlanta’s. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the world’s busiest in terms of traffic, with over 100 million passengers annually (101.49 million in 2015), half of which are handled by the local carrier Delta, which operates over a thousand flights per day. Similarly, Charlotte’s former US Airways hub ranks 27th globally (44.876 million passengers). While domestic U.S. flights dominate, these hubs still offer extensive international networks, particularly to Europe and the rest of the Americas.

In short, the South has solid air coverage, but outside the four or five main urban areas, reaching your destination often requires a connection through one of the major U.S. airlines’ hubs—especially when arriving from abroad. Unlike Florida or the New York area, direct flights here are also frequently more expensive, so depending on your itinerary, it may be worth considering landing in neighboring regions instead.

Types of Flights

Charters, Scheduled, and Low-Cost

Promotions and Special Offers

From France

Only Paris offers direct flights to several cities in the region, primarily Atlanta, which serves as Delta Air Lines’ main hub and Air France’s preferred partner in the SkyTeam alliance. In many ways, airports in this part of the U.S. function more as hubs or layover points for French and European travelers in transit. Additionally, as final destinations, these cities tend to be pricier compared to others not far away, like those in Florida or the New York/Washington area. For Atlanta, expect roughly 9.5 hours of flight time and 550 €–950 round-trip.

Direct Flights

From Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport:

Atlanta: Air France, Delta

Charlotte: American (seasonal)

Raleigh: Delta

Connecting Flights

How to Choose Your Flight?

From the Rest of Europe

From the Rest of the Americas

Canada

Rest of the United States

Service from the rest of the country is fairly good, though secondary cities may require airport transfers unless your route involves one of the country’s major metropolises, which often have direct connections.