I need a plane ticket from atlanta to basel, zurich, frankfurt, or a nearby airport for under $1,000?

from early june to mid july

a direct link would be lovely

That's a tall order--ATL to Europe in peak season for under $1000.... I checked ATL to all major airports in DE and CH and best I see is to Cologne and Geneva, both in the $1050-$1075 range during your travel window. Each connect at Newark, with Continental handling the transatlantic portions, and Delta getting you between Atlanta and Newark each way.

Best and cheapest to book direct from the airline: http://www.continental.com

See http://www.travelbargainsites.com for great cheap travel sites.