The Maryland Aviation Administration’s top official is taking off for a new job running the Atlanta airport.

Ricky Smith, executive director and CEO of the MAA, is stepping down after about 10 years managing Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport, and will start April 2 as the general manager for the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced in a news release Tuesday.

Smith has the “dynamic leadership” to drive the airport’s continued growth, Dickens said.

In his own news release, Smith called it, “a joy and the highlight of my career to serve my hometown airport,” but said he was looking forward to his new job managing “the busiest and most efficient [airport] in the world.”

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The Hartsfield-Jackson airport is the principal hub of Atlanta-based Delta Airlines and handled more than 108 million passengers in 2024, roughly four times more than BWI.

During Smith’s tenure, BWI endured the COVID-19 pandemic and recovered with record traffic, setting a high mark for international travelers in 2023 and an especially busy summer season in 2024.

The airport is also in the midst of some of its most ambitious capital projects to date — a new A/B concourse connector and state-of-the-art baggage handling system.

In an emailed statement, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld thanked Smith for his “dedicated service.”

“On behalf of the entire Maryland Department of Transportation, I wish him well in his new role as General Manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,” Wiedefeld said.

State officials did not immediately say if someone will serve in Smith’s stead in an interim capacity. A search will be launched for his permanent replacement, who must be approved by Gov. Wes Moore.