Austin Airport embarks on $4 billion expansion project

Big changes are coming to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) following the Austin City Council’s approval of $1.9 billion in contracts for the airport’s Journey With AUS expansion program.

The program includes numerous projects designed to help AUS, which has regularly broken passenger records, meet the needs of the growing Central Texas region.

Those projects include:

Concourse B: A new 20-gate concourse, built midfield, that will connect to the Barbara Jordan Terminal through a tunnel. Concourse B will feature what AUS is calling “modern boarding areas,” along with concession spaces. Concourse B is estimated to be completed in 2030.

Arrivals and Departures Hall: A new multilevel building located north of the Barbara Jordan Terminal. It will add expanded check-in and ticketing areas, consolidate security checkpoints and add an expanded baggage claim area. This is roughly estimated to be completed in 2030.

Parking improvements: The Red Garage will be replaced with a new parking garage, new surface lots and an improved roadway. A larger curbside for passenger drop-off for the new Arrivals and Departures Hall will also be added.

Airfield improvements: New parallel taxiways will be constructed to better connect the airport’s two runways and to facilitate operations at Concourse B and future terminals.

Other projects include a new central utility plant to meet heating and cooling demands, a new substation for Austin Energy and stormwater drainage and water quality ponds.

$4 billion is being invested in the expansion and modernization of the airport through the Journey With AUS program, which has been funded in part through more than $42 million in competitive and entitlement funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Funding also comes from airport cash reserves, future revenue bond proceeds and current and future airport revenues.

AUS says current travelers will see construction happening on active projects including the expansion of TSA Checkpoint 3, the West Gate and the international arrivals area.

Photo courtesy Lars Plougmann