May 2022 sets record for busiest month at Austin airport
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) saw record passenger traffic during May 2022.
About 2,021,747 passengers came through the airport in May 2022, an 82.68% increase from May 2021.
For May 2022, AUS released these numbers for passenger activity:
"Total passenger traffic for May 2022 was 2,021,747, up 82.68% compared to May 2021. May 2022 enplanements totaled 1,031,873, up 83.01%. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 787,698, up 118.6%; American Airlines passengers totaled 527,653, up 97.7%; Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 234,772, up 38.5%; United Airlines passengers totaled 206,387, up 83.1%; Alaska Airlines passengers totaled 90,560, up 51.6%; Spirit Airlines passengers totaled 47,584, up 6.9%; Allegiant Air passengers totaled 40,455, up 136.9%; JetBlue Airways passengers totaled 30,902, down 39.1%; British Airways passengers totaled 14,854; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 11,454, down 44.9%; Hawaiian Airlines passengers totaled 6,509, up 63.5%; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines passengers totaled 5,533; Aeromexico passengers totaled 5,259; Lufthansa passengers totaled 5,137; Air Canada passengers totaled 4,222; Sun Country Airlines passengers totaled 1,686, up 465.8%; and Virgin Atlantic passengers totaled 1,082."
From January to May 2022, there was a 132.71% increase in passengers compared to that time frame last year.
"It's exciting. We're thrilled and happy to welcome back people to the skies after COVID-19. It definitely makes for some challenging days. We've seen the headlines about the long lines at the airport," Sam Haynes, airport spokesperson, said.
She says this is from pent-up demand for travel from the pandemic, plus lots of people and businesses moving to Central Texas.
Some passengers say the wait time isn't as bad now.
"We flew at the end of May, and it took us three hours to get through check in. We got here almost four hours early and just barely made our flight, so it's been kind of nuts," passenger Kevin Hight said. "I'm hoping it's going to be a little better, that they've got it under control, that the staff has been brought up to speed."
"It looks actually very calm," passenger Harry Schaefer said.
"We came two hours early because we're slightly worried, but TSA pre-check will save us always," passenger Shelby Streachek said.
Airport officials are still asking people to arrive two and half hours early in case of unplanned staff shortages.
"We know that our partners have been working really hard to staff their operations and get those staffing levels increased to match the passenger demand," Haynes said.
Thursday, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced $15 million is coming to the airport from the new infrastructure law.
"We're going to put that money towards this airport expansion and development program," Haynes said.