ABIA’s Record-Breaking 2025: Growing Pains and Big Plans Ahead
October 2025 marked a historic milestone for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, with 2,086,037 passengers flying through the facility—surpassing the previous record set just five months earlier in May 2024.
Top 5 Airlines at ABIA in 2025
Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 872,329, up 13.4%;
Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 372,721, up 19.7%;
American Airlines passengers totaled 321,984, down 7%;
United Airlines passengers totaled 262,253, up 3.8%;
Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 63,031, up 121.4%;
For Austin’s airport, now serving more than 20 million travelers annually in a facility designed for 15 million, this achievement represents both remarkable growth and mounting challenges that have defined 2025 as a year of transition and transformation.
A Year of Unprecedented Challenges
While ABIA celebrated record passenger numbers, 2025 has been marked by significant operational difficulties that tested both travelers and airport staff. The most persistent challenge has been air traffic controller staffing shortages, which triggered multiple ground delays throughout the year and forced the Federal Aviation Administration to slow or temporarily halt flights to Austin on several occasions.
As of January 2025, only 32 Austin air traffic controller positions had been filled out of a target number of 60. This chronic understaffing led to delays throughout the year. In May alone, more than 100 flights were delayed on two separate occasions due to federal aviation staffing issues. The situation intensified during the fall when a federal government shutdown compounded existing problems. Austin’s controllers have been working six-day work weeks, rotating through day and night shifts under mandatory overtime rules, creating a challenging work environment that has impacted retention and morale.
Air traffic controllers work under extremely stressful conditions that require them to be at the top of their game, but the GOP government shutdown is forcing them to work without pay.
— Lloyd Doggett (@RepLloydDoggett) October 11, 2025
I spoke to @fox7austin about how this may impact Central Texans, as our airport has long been… pic.twitter.com/swsqIvGMmE
The delays have become frustratingly routine for Austin travelers. Ground delays occurred as recently as early December, with the FAA initially citing staffing as the cause. In November, one particularly difficult day saw delays averaging 58 minutes with some reaching as long as 142 minutes. Airport officials have repeatedly pointed to federal responsibility for these issues, emphasizing that their runways remain open and operational while the FAA struggles to adequately staff the control tower.
Construction Everywhere You Look
Beyond the delays, travelers in 2025 navigated an airport that has increasingly resembled an active construction site. The ambitious Journey With AUS expansion program, ABIA’s multi-year, multi-billion-dollar transformation, has multiple major projects underway simultaneously.
The West Infill project, which broke ground in April 2024, has been adding 75,000 square feet across four levels to the Barbara Jordan Terminal.
This expansion includes a new Outbound Baggage Handling System and will expand TSA Checkpoint 3 from two lanes to six to eight lanes, addressing one of travelers’ most common complaints about security wait times. The project is expected to be completed in early 2026.
Similarly, the West Gate Expansion project has been transforming the eastern end of the concourse.
This $165 million development will add three new gates, five new waiting areas, dining options, a children’s playscape, and a new mezzanine with an outdoor viewing balcony. The Atrium Infill project has been filling in the open-air atrium above baggage claim to create 12,000 additional square feet for security screening and passenger processing, preventing the overflow lines that have sometimes extended outside the terminal during peak travel periods.
For passengers, these improvements have meant navigating construction walls, scaffolding, temporary stairways, and detours.
TSA Checkpoint 3 has been closed since February 2024, forcing all passengers to funnel through the remaining checkpoints. Construction noise between midnight and 8 a.m. has become routine for early-morning travelers.
Major Milestones and Future Plans
Despite the disruptions, 2025 also brought significant progress toward ABIA’s long-term vision. In September, the Austin City Council approved a pivotal 10-year agreement with seven major airlines—Southwest, Delta, United, JetBlue, Spirit, American, and Alaska. This contract unlocks billions of dollars and sets the scale for a new concourse with 20 to 30 gates connected to the Barbara Jordan Terminal by an underground tunnel.
The airport also broke ground on the Midfield Taxiways Project in September 2024, constructing two miles of parallel taxiways that will connect the runways to the future Concourse B. This $320 million infrastructure investment is expected to be completed in 2027 and represents a critical step toward the new concourse.
Perhaps most significantly for future capacity, construction began on the Yellow Garage, which will provide 7,000 parking spaces. The first 3,000 parking spaces will open in 2026, allowing teams to move forward with the Red Garage removal to make way for the new Barbara Jordan Terminal Arrivals and Departures Hall expansion.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, ABIA stands at a critical juncture. Several major projects are scheduled to reach completion in 2026, which should provide some relief to travelers who have endured construction disruptions and crowded terminals. The West Infill, West Gate Expansion, and Atrium Infill projects will all be finished, bringing expanded security checkpoints, new gates, and additional terminal space.
However, 2026 will also bring new disruptions. The South Terminal, which currently serves Allegiant and Frontier airlines, is scheduled to be demolished in March 2026 to make way for the new taxiways and Concourse B. Construction on the massive Arrivals and Departures Hall—an $865 million project that will serve as the airport’s new front door—is expected to begin in early 2026. This will involve demolishing the Red Garage and significantly reconfiguring Presidential Boulevard.
The allocation of gates to airlines and final cost details for the expansion will be finalized and made public early in 2026, following the conclusion of airline agreements. When the expansion is complete in the early 2030s, ABIA’s annual capacity will grow from 15 million travelers to more than 31 million, finally giving breathing room to a facility that’s been operating well beyond its intended capacity.
The air traffic controller shortage remains a persistent concern heading into 2026. While the issue is federal in nature and beyond the airport’s direct control, it continues to impact Austin’s reputation as a reliable travel hub. Airport officials have advocated for the FAA to upgrade Austin’s airspace classification and increase staffing, but progress has been slow.
A Growing City’s Growing Airport
ABIA’s challenges in 2025 reflect the broader story of Austin’s explosive growth. The city that once took pride in its small-town feel has become one of America’s major metropolitan areas, and its airport is racing to keep pace. The record-breaking October passenger numbers—surpassing two million travelers in a single month—symbolize both the city’s success and the infrastructure strain that accompanies rapid expansion.
For travelers, patience will remain essential through 2026 and beyond. The construction that has defined the airport experience in 2025 will intensify before it improves, with major projects just beginning their multi-year timelines. Ground delays due to air traffic controller shortages may continue until federal authorities address the staffing crisis.
Yet the transformation underway promises a dramatically improved airport by the early 2030s. The new Concourse B, expected to open around 2030-2031, will more than double the airport’s gate capacity. The new Arrivals and Departures Hall will bring rideshare pickup back to the curb, expand ticketing and baggage claim areas, and create a more spacious, modern entrance to the city. Additional parking, improved security screening, and enhanced amenities will make the travel experience more comfortable for the tens of millions who pass through each year.
An Austin City Council committee on Wednesday unveiled early ideas for overhauling council members’ discretionary spending practices, prompted by Austin American-Statesman findings of lax oversight and questionable expenses. (Austin American-Statesman)
BACKGROUND
Mayor Kirk Watson posted to the City Council Message Board after Wednesday’s meeting:
The Austin City Council could vote next week on asking Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax to figure out how the city can remodel its public restrooms and changing rooms in order to comply with a state law that takes effect Thursday, (KXAN-TV)
Nearly 200 bulletproof vests are being distributed to Austin firefighters as they respond to more dangerous calls. (FOX 7 Austin)
Austin police are expected to hold a news conference this morning on the Texas A&M student who died after a tailgate party at UT Austin’s West Campus over the weekend.
An Austin man was sentenced to 60 years in prison for delivery of fentanyl and possession with intent to deliver heroin.
Izaac Elmore-Carson was a major supplier of fentanyl to drug dealers in Hays County and was involved in extensive drug and firearm dealings. (CBS Austin)
According to an American-Statesman analysis of monthly tax records, alcohol sales at city bars, hotels, and entertainment venues have fallen every year since 2022. (Austin American-Statesman)
Mustang Ridge Police Chief Rolando Belmares has been dismissed following a unanimous vote by the city council.
After hours of meeting in an executive session, Mustang Ridge City Council voted unanimously to dismiss Police Chief, Rolando Belmares, according to the city attorney.
— Vinny Martorano (@VinnyMartorano) December 3, 2025
Here is what city council was going over last night before coming to their decision:@cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/VpZoPtmFpT
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office released department statistics for last month.
Round Rock police are searching for a missing man with dementia who was last seen early this morning.
Austin police are looking for a man on an outstanding felony warrant for burglary.
The city of San Marcos is deciding to cut all ties with tech company Flock Safety for their license plate reader cameras.
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents not to leave unattended firearms in their vehicles after a spate of vehicle burglaries in the Buda area.
President Donald Trump pardoned Oak View Group co-founder and former CEO Tim Leiweke as he faced up to a decade in prison and a $1 million fine over a deal to build and manage the University of Texas’ Moody Center arena.
President Trump today pardoned arena and sports executive Timothy Leiweke, who his own DOJ charged in July with rigging the bid to build @TexasLonghorns Moody Center. Trump's antitrust prosecutors had been full steam ahead toward trial in May.
— Dave Michaels (@davidamichaels) December 4, 2025
Tillis: How on Earth can you threaten a potential land war against a thug and a narco terrorist who plays like he's the president of Venezuela, and then go easy on someone whose investigation that led to an indictment started in the trump administration pic.twitter.com/2TptpolpOg
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 4, 2025
Hearst Newspapers requested data on the music people in Austin listened to most in 2025 for the city’s own Austin Wrapped. Here is what they found. (Austin American-Statesman)
A reminder from the Texas Department of Safety Central Texas Division:
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
This month’s full moon will appear in the Texas sky today, peaking at 5:14 p.m. (CST). It will rise in the eastern sky as the sun sets. (Austin American-Statesman)
Meteorologist Kristen Currie goes in-depth on Central Texas’ biggest snowfalls and how the city of Austin compares to snowier cities.
Next week, ERCOT’s board is expected to discuss a surge in data centers and crypto mining facilities opening in Texas, driving record demand on the grid and raising concerns about reliability.
Several new laws begin today in Texas, including ones that focus on transgender rights, STAAR testing and access to abortion medication.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues his push against EPIC City, a master-planned Islamic community-centered residential development project in Texas, situated approximately 40 minutes from Dallas near the town of Josephine.
“The Meadow” will remain just that – an empty meadow.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 3, 2025
EPIC can change its name, but can't change the legality of the flawed structure they seek to impose.
They delete social media posts & rewrite contracts. But it’s just a disguise to impose sharia on a community they create.…
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is suggesting creating a ‘New Little Texans Savings Fund’ for Texas children.
President Donald Trump announced he is issuing a “full and unconditional” pardon to Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, using a lengthy social media post to accuse the Biden administration of targeting political opponents, even within its own party.
Texas has a new health commissioner. (Texas Tribune)
A Texas family’s lawsuit against OpenAI is raising concerns about how teenagers are leaning on AI chatbots for emotional support.
The parents of 23-year-old Texas A&M graduate Zane Shamblin allege that ChatGPT “goaded” their son toward suicide during a late-night exchange in July. (Texas Public Radio)
Some new Texas laws are going into effect this week, including a modified bathroom bill. Other new laws include yet another one affecting abortion access, and one changing the tests kids take in Texas schools.
Texas flagged hundreds of voters as potential noncitizens earlier this year, but county officials have already determined many were mis-flagged.
The latest AP Top 25 college football rankings are out, but the handwringing continues over which teams will make the playoffs.
And we’ll talk with Terese Svoboda, author of the book “Hitler & My Mother-in-Law.”
(Episode from December 3, 2025)
A Van Zandt County commissioner was arrested for allegedly impersonating an officer.
Shredded cheese products sold in Texas are facing a recall due to a potential health hazard.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Chance Mallory scored 16 points, and Virginia jumped out early and cruised past Texas 88-69 on Wednesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge. (Yahoo! Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
NBA: A sweep of victories for all three Texas NBA teams last night.
Alperen Sengun had 28 points and 10 rebounds, Kevin Durant scored 24 points and the Houston Rockets beat the Sacramento Kings 121-95 on Wednesday night. Amen Thompson finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets, who bounced back from a loss to Utah to avoid dropping consecutive games for the first time since their first two games of the season. (Yahoo! Sports)
Luke Kornet blocked Franz Wagner’s last-second layup, De’Aaron Fox scored 31 points and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Orlando Magic 114-112 on Wednesday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
Cooper Flagg scored 22 points, Anthony Davis had 17 points and 17 rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks extended their first winning streak of the season to three games with a 118-108 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
San Antonio, Dallas and Houston are all off tonight.
STANDINGS
NHL: Jason Robertson scored his 17th goal of the season, Jake Oettinger stopped all 31 shots he faced and the Dallas Stars shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Wednesday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Stars are off until tomorrow night.
The latest episode of Texas Parks & Wildlife follows along as a young adventurer tackles her first long-distance hike on the longest trail in Texas and feel her triumphs as well as her aching feet. Visit a Hill Country state park that offers tubing and fishing on the South Llano, and hiking and biking in the hills around it.
