Details about Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s (AUS) expansion plans are becoming more clear. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson held a press conference at the airport where he provided more details on the expansion as well as how the new gates will be allocated.
Austin Airport is Adding 32 New Gates
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is currently undergoing a major transformation. The project, dubbed Journey With AUS, involves the demolition of the South Terminal, construction of a new concourse, adding taxiways, construction of a new garage, and increasing the size of the airport’s atrium and headhouse.
Mayor Watson stated at a press conference that the airport would be adding 32 new gates after signing a new long-term lease agreements with seven carriers at the airport: Southwest, Delta, American, United, JetBlue, Spirit, and Alaska. While details of the agreement aren’t yet known, Nathan Bernier from KUT News has filed a freedom of information act (FOIA) request to get the details.
The new Concourse B is expected to have 26 gates, the remaining six gates will be part of the newly announced Concourse M, a six gate satellite concourse that will involve a bus from the Barbara Jordan Terminal (Concourse A). According to the airport, Concourse M will be a new, pre-engineered facility that will support construction phasing, accommodate new airline entrants, and provide operational flexibility for irregular operations, including off-schedule and diverted flights.
These expansions are long overdue as the current airport facility is operating well above its intended capacity. Always popular, Austin became one of the top destinations for people moving from the coasts during and after the pandemic. Heck, both of my next door neighbors and my across the street neighbor are from California, Washington, and New York respectively.
With that population increase, and the increasing interest in events like SxSW, Formula 1, and Austin City Limits, the airport is subject to massive overcrowding and long TSA lines, sometimes stretching out onto the terminal roadway. These expansion projects should, hopefully, alleviate some of that pressure.
What Are Airlines Getting After Expansion?
In the new Concourse B, Southwest will be the anchor tenant with 18 gates, United will occupy 5, and three will be available for domestic common use. It will be interesting if the airline considers putting in a lounge in the new facility as it shifts its business model.
With Southwest moving to they new Concourse B, that frees up additional space in the existing Concourse A. Once the expansion is complete, Delta will operate 15 gates in Concourse A and there will be 10 common use gates that can accommodate international and domestic flights. American Airlines will operate from 9 gates, up from the four that it currently has and Alaska will have one.
With the expansion of the atrium and headhouse, Delta is expected to open a new Sky Club in Austin. It has been rumored that the Atlanta based carrier could convert the existing Sky Club into a Delta One lounge in the future.
My Thoughts
As an Austin resident, I couldn’t be more excited about these upgrades. As a Delta frequent flyer I am beyond excited at the carrier’s commitment to the airport and, as someone who flies Southwest on shorter routes in and around Texas, this should certainly lead to more options for travelers from Central Texas.
Work on the expansion isn’t expected to be completed until the mid-2030s, so things will get worse before they get better. If you’ve flown through Austin recently you’ve likely noticed all of the construction and closures in the baggage claim area, but hopefully the improvements will be worth the wait.
Summary
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is getting 32 new gates as part of a massive expansion plan intended to aleviate congestion and allow for more airline capacity at the Central Texas Airport. The airport plans to add 32 new gates, including a 26 gate second concourse of which Southwest will be the anchor tenant, as part of its improvements.
