As the holiday travel season picks up ahead of Thanksgiving, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is preparing for a surge in passenger traffic. The airport has already experienced a significant increase in flights, with an estimated three million people expected to travel across the country for the holiday, as reported by CBS Austin. As travelers dive into the holiday hustle and potential delays, they are urged to arrive early—at least 2.5 hours prior to domestic flights and three hours before international departures.
While the airport has not yet confirmed the exact number of holiday travelers, it is anticipating a similar trend to last year, when more than 382,000 passengers passed through during the 12-day Thanksgiving period. A reminder of these busier conditions, paired with federal agency staffing shortages that may cause delays, has pressed the Austin airport to emphasize early arrivals. "Recently, we have seen delays in flight schedules and passenger processing due to federal agency staffing shortages," an airport spokesperson mentioned in an email to KXAN.
Katherine Skoglund journeyed early to Austin so she could be awake, at the familial hearth by the time festivities commenced. "This time of year is family, it's all about family," Skoglund shared in an interview with CBS Austin, echoing the sentiments of many traversing roads and skies, to reconnect with loved ones after long spells apart.
Austin-Bergstrom is not only facilitating the departure of passengers but also undergoing significant transformations, including ongoing construction projects like the West Gate expansion and upgrades to the international arrivals area. The airport expects these to have no "near term" impact on passengers "While parts of the Barbara Jordan Terminal are under active construction due to projects like the West Gate Expansion, West Infill, and International Arrivals improvements, passengers are not likely to be affected in the near term," reassured the same spokesperson to KXAN.
Austin-Bergstrom provides a variety of online resources to assist travelers, offering guidance on carry-on and checked luggage policies, flight status updates, and protocols for traveling with children and pets. For those planning to drive and park, information on lot and garage parking options, including fees and reservation details, is easily accessible online.
