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Guide to Austin-Bergstrom Airport

Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS), also known as ABIA, is the third-busiest airport in Texas after Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). American, United, Delta and Southwest are the major airlines operating from AUS, with Southwest catering to almost half of the total passenger traffic.

It serves more than 10 million passengers a year, with over 150 daily departures. Providing almost 50 destinations, both domestically and internationally, it was awarded the fifth-best domestic airport in 2015 by Travel + Leisure.

Location of Austin-Bergstrom Airport

Austin-Bergstrom Airport, run by the Aviation department of the City of Austin, is located six miles (9.6 kilometers) south east of downtown Austin, the capital city of Texas, and is connected to the city center by bus, shuttle and taxi.

The Airport Flyer 100 bus service runs every 30 minutes and takes around 30 minutes to reach downtown Austin. Apart from the hotel shuttle services, there's the Super Shuttle, which provides transport 24 hours a day to anywhere in the Austin metropolitan area. If you don't want to share your ride, various taxi companies operate from the airport.

To travel to other destinations from Austin, the Texas Eagle Line runs through the Austin Amtrak Station with a route from Chicago to San Antonio. There are also many coach services that run out of town from the city center.

History of Austin-Bergstrom Airport

AUS Airport opened to the public in 1999 at a cost of $585 million, having replaced Austin’s Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, which had provided commercial flights since the 1930s.

AUS was built on the site previously occupied by the Bergstrom Air Force Base, named after Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, who served in the 19th Bombardment Group. Since its construction, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has seen large growth in the number of routes it offers and now provides travelers with a wide selection of destinations from its two terminals: the Barbara Jordan Terminal (BJT), named after the first African American woman from the South to be elected to the US Congress, and the newer South Terminal (ST), which opened in 2017.

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Airport facilities

It’s not a large airport, but Austin-Bergstrom packs in some excellent facilities and prides itself on providing locally owned stores and eateries. It also unusually has six live music venues on its grounds.

A range of shops, restaurants and amenities are on offer across the two terminals, making it easy to get into vacation-mode before you catch your flight.

If you have any special requirements for your journey through AUS, you can contact customer services before your trip on (+1) 512-530-2242. There are Visitor Information Centers located in the Baggage Claim area near Carousels 3 and 5 and Ambassador Volunteers spread throughout the airport to answer your questions.

• ATMs

• Short-stay parking

• Long-stay parking

• Cell phone lot

• Car valeting

• Car hire

• Transfers

• Information desk

• Shopping

  • Duty free

• Food

  • Breakfast

  • Restaurants

  • Fast food

• Cafés

• Drinks

  • Bars

  • Coffee shops

• Outdoor patio area

• Live music

• Art program

• Shoe shine

• Courtesy phones

• Toilets

• Disabled access

• Baby-changing facilities

• Lost and found

• Currency exchange

• Business lounges

• Trolleys

• WiFi

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Austin-Bergstrom Airport hotel and parking

If you have an early flight and want to start your journey feeling relaxed and refreshed, there’s the option to book a hotel and parking package together. This means that you can rest the night before your flight and the hotel shuttle will take you to the airport for free while your car remains safely parked during your trip.

The only hotel located on the airport grounds is the Hilton Austin Airport. With the Park, Stay and Go package, you can relax in the outdoor saline pool, dine in style and sleep like a baby in one of the luxury rooms before catching the complimentary shuttle service to the terminal (it runs 24 hours a day).

Another top-end option is the Courtyard by Marriott, located just 3.3 miles (5.4 kilometers) from AUS. Its rooms feature soundproof windows and blackout curtains, so a good sleep is more or less guaranteed. There are Park Here, Fly There packages on offer, which include five days of parking as part of the deal. You can even have your favorite Starbucks drink in the on-site bistro before catching the shuttle service to the airport.

If you are looking to spend less, there’s the Quality Inn and Suites Austin at 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers) from the airport, the Best Western Plus at four miles (6.4 kilometers) and the Super 8 Austin Airport South at five miles (eight kilometers).

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Top things to do in Austin-Bergstrom Airport

Knot Anymore Massage

Call in to Knot Anymore Massage at Gates 7 and 13 and let them massage away any anxiety you may have before your trip. Choose from table, chair and foot massages from a company that has spent the last 15 years destressing passengers at Austin-Bergstrom.

American Airlines Admirals Club Airport Lounge

For those wanting to escape the crowds, you can buy a day pass to the American Airlines Admirals Club Airport Lounge, which is located across from Gate 13. It offers the usual airport lounge complimentary food and drink, WiFi and work stations and even has a small putting green in the entrance – there’s something you don’t see every day.

Take in some live music

Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World and the airport experience won’t leave you disappointed. There are six music venues within the airport providing all kinds of genres of live entertainment from Monday to Friday; click here to see the monthly music schedule.

Have a stroll round the Art Exhibition

If you have time to spare before your flight, the airport’s art collection will help you make the most of it.

It exhibits work from local and national artists in both permanent and changing exhibitions and isn’t restricted to the indoor areas; some art displays let you take in the fresh Texan air, too.

A taste of Austin

It’s a must for any visitor to Austin to get stuck in at a Salt Lick Barbecue; the iconic restaurant has now opened two branches in AUS.

Follow your taste buds to Gate 12 or, if you fancy a traditional Salt Lick breakfast taco, visit the stand at Gate 10 instead (or as well).

Enjoy some plane-spotting

If you and your kids are plane-lovers, take a visit to the Family Viewing Area of the Observation Deck. With picnic tables, you can even have a snack while watching the airplanes taking off and landing. It’s just next to the runway to the east of the airport entrance.

Enjoy a drink in a dive bar

What says Austin more than a dive bar music venue? Head for Saxon Pub across from Gate 5 for an authentic experience of the city. Whether you are looking for something to eat or drink or you just need to kill time taking in some music by local artists, this is the place to get into the groove.

Austin’s best caffeine fix

Austin’s famous Ruta Maya Coffee is now available to all passengers in the airport. You can try the organically grown Mayan coffee roasted in Austin at their stands at Gate 7 or 18 - what better way to start your trip?

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Top things to do near Austin-Bergstrom Airport

McKinney Falls State Park

Stunning waterfalls and fabulous walks can be found at around seven miles (11.3 kilometers) from AUS in McKinney Falls State Park. It’s based where Onion Creek meets Williamson Creek and offers the opportunity to hike, fish, cycle and swim. As an oasis just outside the city, McKinney Falls Park is not just a great family day out, but a convenient one, too.

Austin is alive with the sound of music

Known as the Live Music Capital of the World, a trip to Austin wouldn’t be complete without indulging in a concert or two. Click here to see if your time in the city coincides with one of the many music festivals it hosts.

Austin’s iconic 6th Street has an endless supply of live music, especially during the world-famous South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in March.

Zilker Park

The green heaven that is Zilker Park offers peace and tranquility just nine miles (14.5 kilometers) from Austin Airport. It boasts 350 acres (141.6 hectares) of stunning parkland where you can rent a boat, ride the miniature train and visit the botanical gardens.

In a city that is rapidly increasing in population, there aren’t many green spaces left, so this is one of the best places to stretch your legs before or after you fly.

Texas State Capitol

As the largest and one of the nation’s most distinguished State Capitols, Texas’ is well worth a visit. You can take a free tour or simply stroll through the grounds yourself, but be sure to try out the whispering gallery and take in the stunning views of downtown Austin, whichever you choose.

It looks spectacular at night, too, so ask your cab driver to swing by it if you’re in that part of town at the right time.

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Library and Museum

American history buffs won’t be disappointed by the LBJ Library and Museum. The presidential library of Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, houses 45 million pages of historical documents.

With its interactive exhibits, quirky artefacts and audiovisual displays, it definitely isn’t your average museum. At just 8.5 miles (13.7 kilometers) from the airport, it’s a history lesson worth taking if you are to spend some real time in the state capital of Texas.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Feel like sitting back and watching a film? The Alamo Drafthouse offers an alternative cinema experience in Austin. At four locations throughout the city, these movie theaters provide beer, food, movies and special events.

Experience one of the Quote-Along events, which promises exactly as its name suggests, or watch a classic chick-flick on Girlie Night at one of the many Alamo locations in Austin (click the link below to see more addresses).

Barton Springs

If you want to take a dip, make sure you visit Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Park. It’s a three-acre (1.2-hectare) pool that’s filled by underground springs providing perfect temperatures all-year-round.

You can be relaxing in the outdoor pool and taking in the beautiful scenery within 25 minutes of leaving the airport.

Lake Travis Zipline Adventures

The zip-line at Lake Travis reaches speeds of up to 60 mph (96.5 km/h). This place is home to the longest zip-line in Texas at 2,800 feet (853.4 meters).

If you want to combine exercise, excitement and stunning views, there’s no other place like it in Austin. A three-hour Adventure includes a boat ride, five zips and a full day pass to the private lake-front park, where you can take a dip and unwind.

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Which terminal?

Most of the airlines at AUS Airport fly from the Barbara Jordan Terminal (BJT), while a handful of airlines operate from the South Terminal (ST), which opened in April 2017.

The airport’s most popular destinations are served by American, Delta, Southwest, Frontier and United Airlines, all of which operate out of the BJT.

Here are all the airlines and the terminals from which they operate at AUS:

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How to get to Austin-Bergstrom Airport

Car

Austin-Bergstrom Airport is located in the TX 78719 ZIP code area. If you are traveling from Austin, you can take the I-35 S and exit onto the eastbound Highway 71. The exit for the airport is clearly signposted and the drive takes around 15-20 minutes. Excessive traffic can sometimes be a problem in Austin, so you should leave more time when traveling at rush hour.

If you are traveling to the new South Terminal, it must be accessed by taking Highway 183 to Burleson Road, as it is in a separate location to the Barbara Jordan Terminal.

Bus

ABIA is serviced by a regular bus service, the 100 Flyer, which leaves from downtown Austin every 30 minutes and takes around 30 minutes to get to the airport. You can check the timetable and bus stops here. The 350 Airport BLVD service operates from AUS to north Austin and runs every 30 minutes.

Shuttle

You can also get to AUS by a shuttle that will collect you from any location in the Austin metropolitan area and take you to the airport. You have the option to book the service as a sharedride or an exclusive ride. To find out more about the SuperShuttle service, click here.

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Useful tips

Be checkpoint savvy

The busiest times at AUS in terms of checkpoints are weekdays from 5am to 8am, 11am to 1pm and 3pm to 5pm. If you want to check what the security queues are like before you arrive at the airport, you can check real-time waiting times here. However, it’s worth remembering that queue times can fluctuate rapidly at AUS. The good news is that all gates are accessible from any checkpoint, so you can pick and choose according to queue length.

Skip queues with TSA PreCheck

Austin-Bergstrom Airport was one of the first airports in the USA to introduce TSA PreCheck, so if you want to avoid wasting time, find out how to apply at theofficial website. The TSA security checkpoints at Austin-Bergstrom are open from approximately 3:30am to 8:30pm.

Arrive two hours before your flight

ABIA recommends arriving at least two hours before your flight if it’s at peak departure time and 90 minutes if it’s not. This allows for plenty of time to pass through check-in and security. There’s plenty to keep you entertained at AUS Airport if you arrive too early and find yourself with some time to spare.

Quick pick-ups

If you are collecting someone from the South Terminal, you can opt for the free quick pick-up option; simply drive up to the Arrivals area and collect your passenger.

For those collecting from the Barbara Jordan Terminal, you will not be able to park in front of the terminal itself. You must follow the signs to the passenger drop-off, ticketing (upper) level of the terminal and make your drop-off there.

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Austin-Bergstrom Airport FAQs

How much does it cost to park at Austin airport?

The price of parking at Austin airport can vary depending on your dates and how far in advance you make the booking.

How much is long term parking at Austin Bergstrom airport?

When looking for long term parking, the more affordable option is often the offsite car parks. These can be booked in advance with cheaper daily rates being gained for a longer duration of stays. Complete a quote search to find an accurate price.

Where to park at Austin Airport?

The Parking Spot is a favourite for our customers to park at when travelling from Austin airport. With a valet and self park option and great security, these car parks have topped the list of where to park.

Does Austin-Bergstrom Airport have WiFi?

There’s free WiFi available with Boingo throughout the terminals at AUS Airport. To access the service, you have to select the AUS Free WiFi option; when the browser launches, it goes to boingohotspots.net, where you need to click ‘Get Online Now!’. On the next page, select Complimentary WiFi and again click ‘Get Online Now!’. On the next page, you will have to select a commercial to watch; once that’s finished, you’ll be online.