Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) closed out its 20th anniversary year by setting a new annual passenger record: 17,343,729 people traveled through the airport in 2019. This is the tenth record-breaking year in a row, with a year-to-year increase over 2018 of 9.6 percent. Since opening in 1999, AUS passenger traffic has tripled.
In addition to smashing annual passenger records, AUS achieved many milestones in 2019. In June, the airport welcomed Jacqueline Yaft as its new Executive Director.
“The employees of the Aviation Department accomplish astounding records and milestones year after year, for which we are all very proud,” said Austin Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca. “With Jacqueline’s leadership, the airport will continue to be a world-class facility we treasure as a community, while also rapidly growing to meet the needs of Central Texas in the future.”
On the construction front, the 9-gate terminal expansion opened in February, which increased the total number of gates at the Barbara Jordan Terminal to 34. In 2019 alone, between the 9-gate terminal expansion and the existing Barbara Jordan Terminal, construction completed on more than 30 concessions.
Last year, Austin travelers took advantage of those new concession options and enjoyed:
- 1,603,602 tacos
- 71,798 pounds (35.9 tons) of brisket
- 28,281 Lammes Candies
- 48,810 Austin and Texas themed stickers
- 12,107 guitar picks
- 1,200 pounds of cheese & 2,000 bottles of Texas wine at Vino Volo
- 489 kegs of Real Ale Axis IPA
- 3,000 bottles of Tito’s Vodka
Upholding Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World, travelers enjoyed 1,327 live music performances across seven stages throughout the terminal. To keep up with what has grown to 31 live shows a week, the airport’s Arts and Music Program launched Experience AUS. Experience AUS is a mobile platform allowing travelers to text “AUSTIN” to 56512 explore music schedules and performance locations, art tours, games for kids, and options for offsetting their carbon footprint when travelling.
Last year was also an exciting year in air service at AUS, with nine carriers starting or announcing 24 new routes. This includes WestJet announcing seasonal nonstop service from Austin to Calgary; Spirit Airlines arriving in Austin with daily nonstop service more than 10 U.S. destinations; and Delta opening a state-of-the-art SkyClub in the new nine gate expansion.
“We have seen tremendous growth and demand at Austin’s airport over the past 20 years,” said Jacqueline Yaft, Executive Director for the Aviation Department. “We are even more thrilled as we look to the horizon, and for what we envision for the future of air travel for Central Texas.”
In May, Lufthansa arrived in Austin as the German carrier’s only new North American nonstop announced in 2019, connecting the capital of Texas to the airline’s main hub in Frankfurt, Germany. Fall brought the announcement of two more transatlantic routes to begin in 2020: nonstop service to Paris aboard Norwegian, and to Amsterdam on KLM. In 2019, international travel increased by 21 percent.
In 2019, Austin-Bergstrom also continued its own commitment to sustainability, purchasing 999 metric tons of carbon offsets in 2019. The airport’s overall environmental efforts were recognized by the Airports Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation, awarding AUS Level 2 Carbon Accreditation.
December 2019
Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for December 2019 was 1,471,053 up 16.5 percent compared to December 2018. December 2019 enplanements totaled 746,683, up 15.6 percent. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 499,235, up 5.7 percent; American Airlines passengers totaled 264,779, up 9.7 percent; United Airlines passengers totaled 207,725, up 7.3 percent; Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 200,023, up 23.4 percent; Spirit Airlines passengers totaled 79,592; Alaska Airlines passengers 61,640, up 24.5 percent; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 54,713, down 4.3 percent; JetBlue Airways passengers totaled 52,216, up 13.6 percent; Allegiant Air passengers totaled 15,717, down 3.4 percent; British Airways passengers totaled 14,691, up 3.9 percent; Lufthansa passengers totaled 9,132; AeroMexico passengers totaled 4,877, up 14.5 percent ; Air Canada passengers totaled 4,575, up 1 percent and Sun Country Airlines passengers totaled 2,138.
December 2019 air cargo totaled 13,194,011 lbs., up 6.2 percent compared to December 2018. International air cargo totaled 1,628,129 lbs., up 15.8 percent. Federal Express carried 6,905,650 lbs., down 8.8 percent and United Parcel Service carried 4,153,317 lbs., up 11.5 percent.
Air Services transferred 881,710 lbs. of mail, up 11.4 percent; and 2,115,023 lbs. of belly freight, up 18.04 percent.
Aircraft Operations: General Aviation operations totaled 3,382, down 3.3 percent. Combined operations (including commercial and military) totaled 16,958, up 4.1 percent.
January – December 2019
Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for January – December 2019 was 17,343,729 up 9.6 percent, compared to January – December 2018. January – December 2019 enplanements totaled 8,683,711, up 9.6 percent. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 5,844,301, up 4.6 percent; American Airlines passengers totaled 3,092,367, up 9 percent; United Airlines passengers totaled 2,481,449, up 6.3 percent; Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 2,362,284, up 12.5 percent; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 887,606, down 21.4 percent; Spirit Airlines passengers totaled 772,373; Alaska Airlines passengers 641,880, up 14.3 percent; JetBlue Airways passengers totaled 574,719, down 1.1 percent; British Airways passengers totaled 187,953, up 9.6 percent; Allegiant Air passengers totaled 186,268, down 33 percent; Air Canada passengers totaled 70,672, up 43.9 percent; Lufthansa passengers totaled 67,307; Norwegian Air passengers totaled 62,435, up 15.4 percent; AeroMexico passengers totaled 48,063, up 10.1 percent ; Sun Country Airlines passengers totaled 39,271, up 54.8 percent; WestJet passengers totaled 13,365; Via Air passengers totaled 3,218; Swift Air passengers totaled 2,729, up 7.3 percent; Miami Air passengers totaled 2,396; Vacation Express passengers totaled 1,750, down 36.5 percent; Volaris passengers totaled 434; Scandinavian Airlines passengers totaled 423, down 39.3 percent; Air New Zealand passengers totaled 302 and VivaAerobus passengers totaled 164.
January – December 2019 air cargo totaled 149,540,266 lbs., down 3.2 percent compared to December 2018. International air cargo totaled 21,531,024 lbs., down 3.6 percent. Federal Express carried 91,932,651 lbs., down 6 percent; and United Parcel Service carried 38,850,337 lbs., up 2 percent.
Air Services transferred 10,509,840 lbs. of mail, up 35 percent; and 22,236,575 lbs. of belly freight, up 9.3 percent.
Aircraft Operations: General Aviation operations totaled 43,597 for January – December 2019, down 10.1 percent. Combined operations (including commercial and military) totaled 209,726, down 0.2 percent.
