Kirk Preston Watson - Mayor of Austin, Texas | Twitter
Kirk Preston Watson - Mayor of Austin, Texas | Twitter
Austin continues to grow, and so does the region's demand for air travel. Through the Journey With AUS program, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is expanding to meet this demand while maintaining the unique character of Austin.
When AUS first opened in 1999, it featured 25 gates and was designed to serve approximately 11 million passengers annually. A nine-gate expansion in 2019 increased that capacity by an additional four million passengers. The airport experienced steady growth until the COVID-19 pandemic halted air travel globally in 2020.
At the height of the pandemic, barely over 10,000 travelers flew through AUS in a single month—a stark contrast from the millions typically seen. However, as COVID-19 vaccines became widely available and travel restrictions were lifted, passenger numbers began to recover rapidly.
"With only two months of a steep decline in passenger activity," said an airport spokesperson, "airport teams caught their first glimpse at projection-defying growth in late 2020 as airlines began preparing their Spring 2021 schedules."
The Journey With AUS program commenced in 2021 as part of efforts to modernize and expand the airport in response to post-pandemic travel demands. The first project under this program was completed with the opening of a new TSA Checkpoint in late 2021. Key projects such as the West Gate Expansion, Atrium Infill, and International Arrivals have since been initiated.
"Over the past year," continued the spokesperson, "we’ve worked to bring seven key projects into construction or design phase." Additionally, twelve solicitations for construction and professional services have been advertised within eight months to secure necessary resources.
Major projects like the West Gate Expansion and International Arrivals are expected to be completed within a few years. Longer-term projects such as a new Arrivals and Departure Hall and Concourse B expansion are projected for completion by early 2030s.
For more details on each project under Journey With AUS, visit their website for updates on progress.
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