AUSTIN, Texas – With the return of ACL Fest, Formula 1 and MotoGP, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is advising travelers to expect a busier than usual terminal experience and to plan accordingly when heading to the airport. 

Following a busy summer travel season that included the fifth busiest month recorded at AUS, travelers should know what to expect this October—a month that historically breaks single-day passenger records each year. 

Travelers should give themselves plenty of time for parking, checking luggage, obtaining a boarding pass and passing through security. Given the multiple major events in Austin this month, passengers are advised to be mindful and plan accordingly as lines will be busier than usual. Lines are anticipated to be particularly long in the morning hours for those traveling before 9 a.m. 

Trends indicate that Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday are the airport’s busiest days, with the Sunday afternoons and Monday mornings following festival and race weekends anticipated to be exceptionally busy. 

The Transportation Security Administration advises that for international flights, travelers should arrive at least three hours early and two hours early for domestic flights. AUS recommends arriving 2.5 hours early for domestic flights, regardless of departure time, during this busy festival and event season. Security screening checkpoints open at 3;30 a.m. with TSA PreCheck and Clear screening available at Checkpoints 1 and 2. 

Additionally, the TSA has extended the facemask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States, including at airports, onboard commercial aircraft, on over-the-road buses, and on commuter bus and rail systems through January 18, 2022. Passengers who do not comply with this mask requirement may be denied entry or boarding, and could face civil penalties.  

For those planning to park at AUS, the quickest and most convenient access to the terminal are the Blue Garage and Red Garages, with hourly and long-term options available, as well as reservations available online at www.abiaparking.com. Economy Parking is also open for $10 per day; however, travelers should afford themselves extra time as shuttle service to the terminal runs approximately every 15-20 minutes. 

If travelers are planning to be dropped off in the morning, feel free to use both the upper and lower curbsides to help ease traffic and expedite your arrival process—from the lower level, passengers can quickly get upstairs to ticketing and security via escalators and elevators. Similarly, passengers are who being picked up and don’t need to stop by baggage claim can utilize either the arrivals or departure level.  

For more AUS travel tips—including packing, traveling with children and more—visit this webpage. 

Once inside the terminal, travelers can explore new digital maps that provide real-time information on everything from locations for garage locations, shops, restaurants, as well as wayfinding options. The map also allows passengers to view the latest operating hours from shops and restaurants, view menus and order in-airport food deliveries from select AUS concessions.The map is mobile- and desktop-friendly, and is accessible through the AUS website and at AirportMaps.AustinTexas.gov.  

Owned and operated by the City of Austin, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is the second-fastest growing, mid-sized airport in the United States. Austin-Bergstrom is also an economic engine in Central Texas, supplying over 74,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Central Texas region.   

For the latest news, real-time flight information, parking availability and details on the many services provided at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport visit AustinTexas.gov/Airport. You can also follow Austin-Bergstrom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.