The hustle and flow of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) charted a modest climb in passenger traffic for August of this year. With a 2.74% rise compared to the same period in 2024, roughly 1,772,810 travelers passed through the airport's gates. The report, released by the City of Austin, also highlights an upswing in enplanements, topping off at 869,383, marking a 3.21% increase.
Digging into the carriers, Southwest Airlines saw the bulk of passengers with 692,441, enjoying a 5.1% boost. Not to be outdone, Delta Air Lines experienced a significant 18% jump, headlining their passenger count at 345,141. But it wasn't clear skies for all, as American Airlines witnessed their numbers dwindle down 18.1% to 277,640. Flying against the odds, Frontier Airlines made a 113% leap upwards, though, in August alone, amidst fluctuating airline fortunes, according to the City of Austin's latest report.
When the cargo holds were weighed, AUS reported a 9.41% dip in air cargo for August 2025 compared to the previous year, with total cargo weighing in at 23,869,175 lbs. However, international air cargo saw a 4.82% uptick, totaling 2,450,452 lbs. Air Transport International notably carried the heaviest load at 9,449,751 lbs., an increase of 15.8%. In stark contrast, Federal Express contended with a 42.6% fall in its carriage to 4,229,559 lbs.
Reviewing the year-to-date figures, total passenger traffic for January – August 2025 came in at 14,137,772, a 3.08% slip from the same period the year prior. While United Airlines remained steady with a 4.5% rise, tracing the steps of 1,754,607 passengers, others like American Airlines lagged notably behind, shedding 20.8% off their previous year's score. Meanwhile, alongside passengers, year-to-date air cargo continued its descent, dropping 10.83% to 180,951,243 lbs., with only a few shining exceptions like Air Transport International and United Parcel Services, who bucked the trend, posting gains in their freight loads.
Amidst the comings and goings, the general aviation operations for August alone managed to secure an 8.39% expansion, totaling 3,567 operations. This was part of a broader increase in combined operations, including commercial and military, which ascended to 22,806 – a 7.55% uplift from the year before. Within the broader January – August 2025 frame, combined operations edged up a mere 0.35%, aligning with the overall narrative of modest gains in a landscape of varied logistic performances, as reported by the City of Austin.
