‘Pack your patience’: Austin airport expected to be busier than average for holiday travel

Austin airport to be busy for holiday travel

Austin airport officials are asking travels to be patient as the airport is expected to be busier than average for holiday travel.

AUSTIN, Texas - With just days to go before Thanksgiving, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is expected to remain busier than average through the end of the week. AUS officials say additional staff will remain on duty to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

"The day that we do expect some record-breaking numbers again is on Sunday, Nov. 26, when people start coming back or people that are here visiting get ready to leave," said Elizabeth Ferrer, AUS spokesperson.

Ferrer says "pack your patience" if you plan to travel over the next few days.

"Get here as early as you can, so minimum for domestic flights, you need to get here 2.5 hours before your flight," she said.

How do gates work at AUS airport?

According to Austin-Bergstrom, each airline leases gates from the airport and exclusively manages their own gate operations and schedules. For airlines with lots of flights, this means a flight arriving even 10–15 minutes late, or early, can impact gate availability.

Those two and a half hours are to make sure you make your flight on time. It gives you time if you find yourself in a situation inside the airport waiting in long TSA lines. It is also in case you find yourself in a situation on the way to the airport like a traffic crash.

"When it's super, super busy, there can be traffic here at the airport and lots of other things that can slow you down just to get to the terminal. So you really do need to plan ahead," said Ferrer.

Once at the airport, Ferrer revealed there are some quick little tricks you could utilize to make the journey to your gate a little faster. This includes where you are dropped off.

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"Drop off your passenger downstairs in the arrivals section. This terminal is small enough that it's just an escalator or elevator ride up to the ticket counter where you need to check in and or go through TSA. That really will save you a lot of time and a lot of headaches," she said.

The airport has four TSA checkpoints that are fully staffed. Ferrer’s advice is to take a minute and pick the one with the shortest line.

Parking is expected to be full or limited this week. Ferrer says to keep up with AUS’s parking social media for the latest.

Also, follow AUS to find the most accurate and updated information.