Fulton County, Georgia – An international business jet landing at Fulton County Executive Airport currently brings an unusual extra step: customs officers must leave Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and travel across the region to meet the arriving flight.
That detour is now closer to disappearing. Fulton County officials broke ground Thursday, July 9, on a new Customs Facility designed to make international arrivals faster, more secure and far less complicated.
The project is backed by $2.8 million in federal and state funding. Once completed, the facility will allow customs processing to take place directly at Fulton County Executive Airport, removing the need for agents to travel from Atlanta’s main commercial airport whenever an inbound international flight arrives.
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For business travelers, the change could be especially significant. Fulton County Executive Airport serves as metro Atlanta’s corporate aviation hub, and more than half of the aircraft based there are business jets. The airport connects executives and companies with destinations across the region and beyond, making the arrival process an important part of how quickly business can move.
The airport, identified by the code FTY, is already one of Georgia’s busiest aviation centers. It ranks as the third-busiest airport in the state, operates a control tower around the clock and recorded more than 80,000 flight operations in 2025. Two fixed-base operators serve the airport, which is also home to more than 100 aircraft.
Until now, that level of activity has existed without an on-site customs facility. International flights could land there, but completing the required customs process depended on coordinating personnel from Hartsfield-Jackson. The new building is intended to turn that arrangement into a seamless, airport-based operation.
County leaders see the facility as more than a convenience. It is part of a broader expansion plan for FTY that also includes additional hangars, creating more capacity for an airport that plays a specialized role in the Atlanta economy.
The groundbreaking also follows a series of safety investments at the airport. Fulton County has added new taxiway lighting, an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting facility and Runway Engineering Material Arresting Systems, which are designed to improve protection around aircraft operations.
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Together, the customs project, planned hangar expansion and recent safety upgrades point toward a larger goal: preparing Fulton County Executive Airport for more activity while strengthening its role as a gateway for corporate aviation.
When the new facility opens, an international arrival at FTY will no longer require customs officers to make a separate trip. The process will happen where the aircraft lands, allowing passengers, crews and businesses to continue their journey with fewer delays and a more direct welcome to Fulton County.
More information about the airport and its operations is available through Fulton County’s official airport page.
