Business executives flying internationally out of Fulton County Executive Airport (FTY) will soon skip the wait for customs agents to drive from Hartsfield-Jackson once a new on-site facility now under construction is complete. Fulton County officials broke ground on the project Thursday, July 9.

The 5,000-square-foot facility, funded with $2.8 million in federal and state grants, will let private jets clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection on the tarmac at FTY rather than idling while agents make the trip from Atlanta's main airport. For the corporate flight departments that dominate FTY's hangars, the change eliminates a bottleneck on every international arrival. FTY serves corporate users across Fulton County, including North Fulton firms that rely on business aviation for international travel.

"International travelers will be able to clear customs right here at our airport, making arrivals more seamless, more secure and more efficient," Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts said at the groundbreaking.

More than half of the 100-plus aircraft based at FTY are business jets, according to the county. The airport logged more than 80,000 flight operations in 2025 and operates a 24/7 control tower, making it Georgia's third-busiest airport and metro Atlanta's primary corporate aviation hub.

The new facility, located on Sandy Creek Road within the airport grounds, can handle up to four aircraft at once and accommodate about 20 passengers at a time. It will include processing areas, CBP staff offices, an agricultural laboratory, and holding rooms. Arriving international jets will have immediate taxiway access. Marietta-based Ward-Humphrey is the general contractor.

The customs building is one piece of a broader FTY expansion. The county also plans a 1,000-foot runway extension that would stretch the runway to 7,106 feet and require a bridge over Fulton Industrial Boulevard. Pitts said the longer runway would enable nonstop flights to Europe. The county manager estimates total improvements along the Fulton Industrial Boulevard corridor at roughly $140 million, funded through a mix of federal, state, and county money.

Fulton County has already completed safety upgrades at FTY including new taxiway lighting, an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting facility, and runway arresting systems.

Commissioner Bridget Thorne, who also attended the July 9 ceremony, said she hopes the airport area will be "blossoming with all kinds of development" within five years.

The county has not announced a completion date for the customs facility or a timeline for the runway extension.