Austin’s Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) has seen a ton of growth in recent years though the lounge landscape has remained mostly the same. With the exception of the Chase Sapphire Terrace, the only lounges available at the airport are airline specific for the big three carriers; American, Delta, and United.
While you may not have many choices, I’ve spent more time than I can count in the lounges at my home airport and decided to rank them (It’s a Sunday and I haven’t traveled in a while so I’m looking for things to do).
So, without further adieu, here’s my rankings of the four lounges at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
4. United Club Austin
The United Club in Austin takes the bottom spot on my list of lounges at the Austin airport. The lounge occupies an interior space one level above the concourse next to the American Airlines Admirals Club.
The United Club is on the smaller side and is split up into multiple rooms which provides some privacy for guests. The business center is a great space to take calls without disturbing other guests.
The staff in the United Club are very friendly and know their regular customers by name. The bar space is the main hub of the lounge and the buffet is also located here. The food options are less than stellar, I find United Clubs to have the least impressive meal options of the big 3 US carriers, but they still have a decent selection from time to time.
My biggest knock against the United Club is the lack of natural light. The lounge only has a couple of windows and they overlook the ticketing hall. While the ticketing hall has large windows to the outside, it still only provides a limited amount of natural light.
There aren’t any truly bad lounges in Austin, but the United Club ranks at the bottom due to its layout, lack of natural light, and food.
3. Chase Sapphire Terrace Austin
There is only one non-airline specific lounge in Austin and that is the Chase Sapphire Terrace. The Sapphire Terrace is the newest lounge at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport having opened in 2023, the lounge took over an existing outdoor viewing terrace.
Since the Chase Sapphire Terrace is the only lounge that can be accessed by flyers from any airline, it can get extremely busy. Southwest doesn’t operate its own lounges and is the largest carrier in Austin so the Sapphire Terrace is the only option for those passengers.
The Sapphire Terrace offers a selection of snacks, beverages, and food available via the Farmer’s Fridge vending machines. The lounge has beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages available though there is no liquor on offer.
The biggest knock on the Chase Sapphire Terrace, and the reason that I ranked it so low, is the fact that the majority of the lounge is outside. The weather in Austin can be brutal with temperatures in excess of 100 degrees during the summer months. Since the vast majority of the Chase Sapphire Terrace space is outside, it can get brutally hot during the summer months.
2. American Airlines Admirals Club Austin
I went back and forth about where to place the American Airlines Admirals Club in this ranking. Ultimately, it came down to the fact that the Admirals Club is indoor which gave it the edge over the Chase Sapphire Terrace.
The Admirals Club in Austin is located next to the United Club, one level up from the concourse. The club features the older, darker Admirals Club decor with low lighting and plenty of wood paneling. The lounge is broken up into a variety of small rooms and it is always packed thanks to American’s large operation in Austin.
The food and beverage options at the Admirals Club are slightly elevated when compared to the United Club and much more substantial than the Chase Sapphire Terrace. They even have one of my favorite Austin beers on draft, Pinthouse’s Electric Jellyfish.
Despite the dark finishes in the lounge, it does get a semi-decent amount of natural light. While the lounge doesn’t have any exterior windows, it overlooks the concourse and gets a decent amount of light thanks to the large windows in the terminal.
On a fair weather day the Chase Sapphire Terrace wins out but, due to the chaotic weather in Austin, the Admirals Club gets the nod.
1. Delta Sky Club Austin
The clear winner of the lounge battle in Austin is the Delta Sky Club. The carrier opened a massive, 9,000 square foot Sky Club back in 2019. Delta has previously designated Austin as a focus city and has added a slew of new routes in recent months. Austin’s Sky Club isn’t only my favorite lounge in Austin, but one of my favorite Sky Clubs in the Delta system.
Austin’s Sky Club is truly massive and spans the entire width of the terminal. The lounge features floor to ceiling windows with fantastic views out over the ramp. The lounge also features a sky terrace that sits adjacent to the Chase Sapphire Terrace that can be used when the weather cooperates.
A large bar area dominates the center portion of the lounge and is surrounded by a variety of seating. Delta has complimentary beer, wine, and liquor available to guests in the Sky Club with premium options available for a fee.
The club has a solid selection of food and the lounge is decorated with many local touches including a massive “Keep Austin Weird” sign hanging near the restrooms.
The Delta Sky Club is, hands down, the best lounge in Austin.
Summary
There are four lounges in Austin and each has its pros and cons. All three major U.S. carriers operate a lounge in the airport as well as the Chase Sapphire Terrace which can be accessed by Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders regardless of what airline they’re flying. The lounge environment at the Austin Airport is sure to expand once the airport expansion projects are complete.
These rankings are obviously subjective and I can’t wait to hear all of the reasons that my rankings are wrong in the comments.
The best part of the sapphire terrace is that it’s right next door to the sky lounge so very easy to hop on over when you show up and are underwhelmed. I guess it is better than nothing.
The AAustin AAngels are the best in the entire system!
I’ve found the agents in all three airline lounges to be absolutely fantastic in Austin!