Busy travel season to continue through New Year at Austin Airport

Staff Reports

AUSTIN – Following a record-breaking Thanksgiving travel season, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is advising travelers to expect a busy terminal during the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s season.

While not typically the busiest time of the year at AUS, travelers are advised to plan ahead if they will be traveling in the coming weeks.

With peak travel expected during the period of December 17 through January 4, it’s especially important to allow for plenty of time for parking, returning a rental car, checking luggage, obtaining a boarding pass and passing through security, particularly in the morning hours for those traveling before 9 a.m.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) advises that travelers should arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights. Security screening checkpoints open at 3:30 a.m. with TSA PreCheck and Clear screening available at Checkpoints 1 and 2 West. In addition, a new security checkpoint, Checkpoint 2 East, is now open during peak travel periods near Southwest ticketing for all passengers going through general screening.

For those are getting dropped off in the morning, feel free to use both the upper and lower curbsides to help ease traffic – from the lower level, passengers can quickly get upstairs to ticket and security via escalators and elevators.

Travelers looking to park onsite should plan ahead as parking options are expected to quickly fill up. You can visit ABIAParking.com to check for real-time parking availability prior to arriving to the airport.

For those traveling with gifts, TSA recommends leaving them unwrapped as they might need to be opened for inspection. Additionally, firearms are prohibited at all passenger screening checkpoints and in any carry-on luggage, and possession of them may result in arrest. For a comprehensive list of banned and permitted items in carry-on baggage, visit the TSA’s website at TSA.gov.

Both Allegiant and Frontier flights operate at the South Terminal and their passengers should park at the South Terminal. All other airlines operate from the airport’s main Barbara Jordan Terminal located off of SH 71. The South Terminal is a separate facility accessed from Burleson Road, between US 183 South and FM 973.

Inside both terminals, face masks are required for travelers over the age of two, as the TSA has extended the face mask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States, including at airports, through March 18, 2022.

Once inside the terminal, travelers can explore new digital maps which provide real-time information on everything from locations for garage locations, shops, restaurants, as well as wayfinding options.

The map also allows passengers to view the latest operating hours from shops and restaurants, view menus and order in-airport food deliveries from select AUS concessions. The map is mobile- and desktop-friendly, and is accessible through the AUS website and at AirportMaps.AustinTexas.gov.?

And while this time of year is one of celebration, AUS would like to remind travelers to drink responsibly while in the terminal, and that once they board their flight, federal law prohibits passengers from consuming any alcohol that isn’t served by a flight attendant.

For more AUS travel tips visit: AustinTexas.gov/department/travel-security-austin-bergstrom-international-airport.

For Media: AUS PIO will be available for in-person and virtual interviews until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 22. Afterwards, AUS PIO will not be available until normal business hours resume on Monday, December 27. For emergencies and breaking news, the AUS PIO on-call number will still be available at 512-715-4287.

During peak travel times, the indoor live shot designated space in front of the airline ticket counters and Security Checkpoint #1 may be temporarily relocated outside to the upper curb level. The live shot designated space in baggage claim will remain available and all public spaces inside the terminal will remain available for b-roll filming and photography.