After nearly a decade as Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s low-cost outpost, the South Terminal shut down Tuesday, with Allegiant and Frontier shifting their flights into the main Barbara Jordan Terminal on Wednesday. The move puts every commercial carrier under one roof and clears the south side of the airfield for a major expansion. Travelers flying around the switchover are being urged to double-check which terminal they are using and to budget extra time for check-in and parking.
What changed Tuesday
March 31 was the South Terminal’s final day of operations. Beginning April 1, Allegiant and Frontier flights are scheduled to operate from the Barbara Jordan Terminal, according to the City of Austin. The city has said the South Terminal “will be permanently removed” to make room for the New Midfield Taxiways project. Airport leaders are pitching the consolidation as a way to simplify passenger connections while also unlocking the next round of construction on the airport campus.
Why the terminal must go
Airport officials have long argued that the South Terminal’s footprint sits right where the next set of taxiways and airfield reconfigurations need to go. Those changes are designed to support a future midfield concourse and to smooth aircraft movements across the airfield as flight and passenger volumes climb. Local coverage notes that the South Terminal is essentially in the crosshairs of the planned taxiway alignment, leaving the city little choice but to fold the low-cost carriers into the main terminal, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
What the expansion will add
Materials presented to the Airport Advisory Commission describe the New Midfield Taxiways as an “enabling project” for a new Concourse B and an underground passenger tunnel. The base plan calls for at least 20 additional gates and a buildout that stretches over multiple years. The same documents note that preconstruction and procurement work are already in motion so that construction can advance while the airport continues to operate, according to Airport Advisory Commission documents.
Travelers: Where to go and what to expect
If your Allegiant or Frontier flight departs on April 1 or later, you should head straight to the Barbara Jordan Terminal for ticketing and security. Flights on or before March 31 continued to use the South Terminal. The South Terminal’s address is 10000 Logistics Lane, while the Barbara Jordan Terminal is at 3600 Presidential Blvd.
Shuttle service between the Barbara Jordan Terminal and the South Terminal parking lot will continue for a period while those lots are cleared. Both airlines are directing customers to confirm terminal information and arrive early, advice echoed in travel guidance from Allegiant Air and FOX 7 Austin.
Background and the legal wrinkle
The shutdown follows a long-running legal and financial saga. In 2023, the city resolved its dispute with the South Terminal’s private operator through a roughly $88 million settlement, clearing a major roadblock for expansion. City officials have said the Journey With AUS program is funded through airport revenues and bonds rather than local taxes, and that regaining control of the south campus was essential to move the project ahead, according to Axios. With the settlement in place, officials removed one of the biggest obstacles to the multi-billion-dollar airport buildout planned over the next decade.
For the latest details on parking, shuttles and terminal logistics, travelers are being told to check with their airlines or local coverage of the change. One local newscast captured how the final days played out for passengers on the ground; KVUE has video and traveler reactions from the closure. Airport staff say they will keep posting transition updates on FlyAUS and through the ABIA customer service line as the former South Terminal site is prepared for demolition.
