What Is a Concourse at an Airport?

What Is a Concourse?

A concourse is a section or wing within an airport terminal that groups together multiple gates. Picture a long corridor with gates lined up on both sides — that's a concourse. Airlines often cluster their flights in specific concourses, and the design channels passengers efficiently from the security checkpoint to their specific gate area.

Concourses are typically labeled with letters: Concourse A, Concourse B, Concourse C, and so on. Your gate number includes the concourse letter — Gate B14 means you're in Concourse B, Gate 14.

How Concourses Fit into Airport Layout

The hierarchy of airport spaces goes from largest to smallest:

1. Airport — the overall facility
2. Terminal — the main building (some airports have multiple terminals)
3. Concourse — a wing within the terminal
4. Gate — the specific door where you board your plane

Not all airports use the concourse structure. Smaller airports may just have one area with all gates. Larger airports use concourses to organize the large number of gates across their footprint.

Example: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson

Atlanta's airport is a great example of the concourse system. It has one main domestic terminal (the atrium), but from there it branches into seven concourses: T, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Each concourse is connected by an underground train that runs the length of the airport, or by a walking tunnel above ground. Concourse F is the international concourse. If your gate is F4, you're in Concourse F — usually 10-15 minutes from the security exit depending on where you enter.

Example: Chicago O'Hare

O'Hare has four terminals, and within Terminal 1 (primarily United), there are Concourses B and C. Within Terminal 3 (American), there are Concourses G, H, K, and L. Your boarding pass tells you both the terminal and concourse/gate.

How to Navigate to Your Concourse

1. Know your gate — check your boarding pass or the airport's departure boards. The gate number tells you which concourse you're heading to.
2. Follow the signs — airports have large overhead signage after security directing passengers toward each concourse. Follow the letter of your concourse.
3. Use the airport map — most airport websites have interactive maps, and many airports post printed maps at the security exit. These show the locations of all concourses and estimated walking times.
4. Don't confuse concourses — if you walk to the wrong concourse, you may need to backtrack significantly. Gates in different concourses can be far apart (15+ minutes of walking).

Getting Between Concourses

If your connection requires moving from Concourse A to Concourse D, for example, here's how airports typically facilitate this:

• Walking: Many airport concourses are connected by enclosed walking corridors. Some require walking 10-20 minutes.
• Automated people movers (APMs): Underground or elevated train systems that shuttle passengers between concourses. Atlanta's underground train, Dallas-Fort Worth's Skylink, and Denver's train are well-known examples.
• Shuttles or buses: Less common for concourse-to-concourse travel, but some older airports use them.

When you have a tight connection and need to change concourses, ask an airport employee or gate agent for the fastest route — they know the airport far better than any map.

Concourses and Airlines

Airlines tend to operate from specific concourses within terminals. This means their gates are clustered together, making connections between flights on the same airline easier. Delta might use Concourse A and B at one airport while United uses Concourse C and D.

This matters for connections: if you're connecting on the same airline, your gates are usually in the same concourse or adjacent ones. If you're connecting between different airlines, you might need to travel across the terminal or even change terminals entirely.

Concourse Amenities

Concourses have restaurants, shops, restrooms, and seating. Amenities vary significantly by concourse at the same airport — the main entrance concourse or the international concourse often has the best food options. If you have time during a layover, it can be worth walking to a different concourse for better dining, though always keep your gate's boarding time in mind.

The Bottom Line

A concourse is just the labeled wing of the airport where your specific gate is located. Look at the letter in your gate number to know which concourse to head to after security. Follow the overhead signs, allow extra time for large airports with multiple concourses, and use people movers or trains when available to save walking time.