Memorial Day weekend expected to be busy for travel

Millions of Americans are expected to travel for the holiday and it's important that travelers be aware that there could be delays and cancellations.

AUSTIN, Texas - Millions of Americans are expected to travel by land and air this Memorial Day weekend. AAA estimates that 39 million people will be traveling for the holiday.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) expects to have the busiest Memorial Day travel time in the airport's history. Memorial Day Weekend traditionally signals the start of summer travel, but AUS daily passenger numbers have already been climbing.

Last summer, peak travel days at AUS were Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays, mainly before 8 a.m. But heading into summer 2022, passengers can expect every day of the week to be busy.

AUS offers some tips for passengers for this weekend and the upcoming summer travel season:

When to arrive at AUS
To help manage summer travel through AUS, passengers using general security should arrive at least two and a half hours before boarding domestic flights and three hours before boarding international flights, regardless of the day of week or time of day their flight is scheduled.

Travelers should budget extra time if they need to check luggage, return a rental car, or complete other activities before joining the security screening lines. First-time flyers, travelers who have not flown in years, large groups, and those traveling with small children should also give themselves extra time.

Preparing for TSA screening and packing properly
Security screening checkpoints open at 3 a.m. TSA PreCheck and Clear screening are available at Checkpoints 1 and 2 West. All four checkpoints lead to all gates and airlines in the Barbara Jordan Terminal.

TSA security delays can occur when passengers accidentally pack prohibited items in their carry-on luggage. To help avoid delays, passengers should review what they can and can’t bring with them through security at TSA.gov.

Parking and or dropping off passengers
An increase in travelers means more vehicles at AUS. Drivers dropping off passengers can use either the upper level for departures or the lower level for arrivals to ease congestion. Passengers dropped off at the lower level can quickly get upstairs to ticketing and security using escalators and elevators. If the lower level is congested, arriving passengers can use escalators and elevators to be picked up on the upper level.

Travelers looking to park onsite can visit ABIAParking.com to reserve a parking space and check for real-time parking availability before arriving at the airport.

Uber, Lyft, Wingz, or other rideshares use a tram service available on the first floor of the Red garage to take passengers to the rideshare pick-up area located on the ground floor underneath the rental car facility.

Checking into your flight
Travelers without checked luggage can bypass the ticket counters and head immediately to TSA screening checkpoints using these time-saving flight check-in options:

Use the lower curbside and upper curbside for drop-off — from the lower level, passengers can quickly get upstairs to ticketing and security via escalators and elevators.
Self-service flight check-in kiosks that allow travelers to print their boarding passes and bag tags are available inside the terminal, across from the airline ticket counters.
In addition to traditional check-in procedures, some airlines offer outside curbside check-in on the upper level.
Travelers can also save time by checking in for their flight using their airlines’ mobile app and a mobile boarding pass.

Getting the most out of AUS
Once inside the terminal, travelers can explore new art installations, concession offerings, live music stages, and more using step-by-step directions on the AUS digital wayfinding map at AirportMaps.AustinTexas.gov.

While airport restaurant hours may vary pending concession company staffing levels, AUS has invested in new self-service kiosks that are available 24/7 for passengers to purchase snacks, beverages, and travel necessities, including made-and-delivered-daily Sprinkles Cupcakes.

Information for Allegiant and Frontier travelers
Travelers flying with Allegiant and Frontier will depart from The South Terminal. All other airlines operate out of the main Barbara Jordan Terminal. The two terminals are not connected and must be accessed separately. The South Terminal is located near US 183 and Burleson Road, at 10000 Logistics Lane, Austin. Travelers can use the shuttle bus, which picks up from the departure level of the curbside, to travel from the Barbara Jordan Terminal to The South Terminal.