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A major terminal expansion at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will make Austin, Texas, accessible to more global meeting attendees. (Tim Griffith photo)
From its world-famous live music and thriving food scene to its abundant green space and “weird” local culture, there are many reasons to love Austin. But meeting participants don’t have to wait for a food-truck taco, a bat sighting at the Congress Bridge, a banging set on Red River Street, or a stroll in gorgeous Zilker Park for an only-in-Austin experience. Thanks to a best-in-class airport, the feel-good Austin vibes start when the wheels come down.
And meeting planners will be glad to know: There’s about to be greater capacity for more flights landing from more domestic and international destinations. As one of the fastest-growing airports in North America — adding more than 90 nonstop domestic and international flights between 2019 and 2023, which is more than any other large- or medium-hub airport in the United States — the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) broke ground in August 2023 on a massive terminal expansion that will make centrally located Austin accessible to an even larger number of global meeting attendees.
Scheduled for completion in 2026, the 84,500-square-foot project will span three levels of apron, concourse, and mezzanine space, adding three new gates and new amenities for passengers of all ages, including new food and retail spaces, new waiting areas and restrooms, a children’s play space, a meditation/quiet room, family and nursing rooms, and a pet-relief area. On the mezzanine level, there will even be an outdoor balcony and an indoor viewing area overlooking the concourse.
“The Austin airport has seen tremendous growth,” said AUS spokesperson Elizabeth Ferrer. “Our expansion is going to make the passenger experience going in and out of the terminal much more comfortable for everyone.”
According to Ferrer, a highlight for meeting attendees and other business travelers will be additional charging infrastructure for powering mobile devices and new quiet areas for working — small things that make a big difference.
The airport project will add new amenities for passengers, including waiting areas with charging stations, food and retail spaces, and a meditation/quiet room. (Dror Baldinger, courtesy of Gensler)
More for Planners, Attendees
Just as important as what’s changing, however, is what’s staying the same, like Visit Austin’s partnership with Delta Air Lines — whose Delta Meeting Network offers special services and discounts for meeting groups — and AUS’s commitment to local purveyors.
“How we distinguish ourselves from other airports is by making sure all our concessionaires are local. We do have a Starbucks and a Brighton store, but everything else really and truly is Austin, and that’s going to continue as we expand and grow,” said Ferrer, adding that the airport has seven live-music stages for local performers and five galleries celebrating local artists. So while AUS is only a 15-minute drive to downtown Austin, many of the city’s best attributes are just steps away for passengers.
That includes Austin’s impeccable hospitality, which is evident in AUS’s Corporate Hospitality Program, through which inbound meeting attendees can be personally welcomed at the airport’s Corporate Hospitality Meet and Greet Center.
In that way, AUS is like Austin itself: growing big and growing fast, while staying true to its original character.
