Austin airport expects 34,000 departing travelers day before Thanksgiving

AUSTIN (KXAN) — With Thanksgiving less than 24 hours away, travelers are flocking to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration said it anticipates this will be the busiest holiday travel season ever, with more than 2.7 million passengers expected to move through airport security today.

AUS said it expects about 34,000 departing travelers Wednesday.

AUS suggests passengers check traffic conditions before heading to the airport. (Photo: KXAN)

“That’s not a record breaking busy day, but it is busy. What we’re seeing are a lot of families, lots of strollers and small children, big groups,” AUS Communications Manager Sam Haynes told KXAN.

Haynes said surprisingly, this isn’t their busiest day of the year. That’s actually the Monday after the Formula One race.

Still, she said it is busier than normal during the holidays.

“It’s still really important that folks get here with plenty of time to make it to their flight,” Haynes said. “We see a lot of people getting excited to reunite with family members and that’s so important and so special and truly is one of the best things about working at an airport is getting to play that role in the lives of people across the country.”

Even with more people flying, Haynes said TSA has been able to keep wait times under 30 minutes.

When it comes to parking, Haynes said reserved parking is sold out for Thursday and Friday and that they expect parking lots to be full.

She recommended going to AUS’ parking website to see which lots are available in real-time.

Haynes said one way to make your experience traveling smoother is by making sure your carry-on luggage does not have any prohibited items.

“You can bring food, however, it has to be solid,” Haynes said. “So you can bring the potato, but you can’t bring the mashed potatoes.”

‘Celebrate with the family’

Some people at AUS said they were flying back into Austin for the holidays.

“Just waiting for my wife to pick me up, but she’s stuck in about 20 minutes of traffic,” said Austin traveler Dan Murrell. “I think she had a harder part than I did. She’s a little stressed.”

Others, like Keri Thangsri and her family, decided to leave Austin for the holiday.

“We’re going to take the kids to Disneyland and Universal,” Thangsri said. “I think the most thing is just to celebrate with the family and enjoy the time.”

Whether you’re flying in or out of the airport, passengers said they are most excited about getting the traveling out of the way and enjoying the holiday with family and friends.

“Once we’re all in the car, we get out of the airport, get to the grocery store, get everything we need, I think we’ll be ready to go,” Murrell said.

Expanding the airport

As more travelers continue to fly through AUS, the airport is working on an expansion plan to keep up with the demand.

Recently, it asked passengers to fill out a survey to help the airport understand what types of travelers are flying through AUS, whether it be for leisure or business.

Travelers also left suggestions for improvements.

Some wanted dedicated lines for business or solo travelers while others suggested faster baggage delivery to the carousel.

The airport said the survey helps it understand the needs of those passing through.