Fourth of July Travel Tips at AUS

It's that "party in the U.S.A." time of year, which only means one thing… fireworks paired with BBQ! Oh, and that the airport will be busy connecting families to celebrate the Fourth of July. Don't believe us? Look at the numbers, just this May we broke the busiest month on record for Austin-Bergstrom Interantional Airport (AUS) with 2,068,404 passengers, exceeding our previous record from last July by over 27,000 passengers!

So, how do you prepare for a busy holiday, you may ask? Plan accordingly, pack properly, and most importantly, arrive early! For more guidance, refer to our list of travel tips below:

The early bird gets their flight – Arrive Early!

• Before arriving, check on your flight status at this page beforehand and ensure you know your departure terminal. Remember that Allegiant and Frontier are located at the South Terminal, which you cannot get to from the main Barbara Jordan Terminal. For more information, visit the official South Terminal webpage at austintexas.gov/page/south-terminal-aus. All other airlines operate out of the main Barbara Jordan Terminal.
• Travelers should arrive at least 2.5 hours before departure for domestic flights and 3 hours before departure for all international flights. Travelers needing to check luggage, return a rental car, or fulfill any other to-dos before going through security are advised to count in additional time.
• AUS is under improvement and modernization projects to meet the needs of increased passenger and airline activity through the Journey With AUS airport improvement program. Construction activities in the terminal may be visible to passengers. Visit AustinTexas.gov/AUSConstructionUpdates for a list of scheduled construction activities that will be visible to passengers.

Make security simple – Pack Correctly! As of February 2024, Checkpoint 3 has been closed and will remain closed while construction is ongoing on the West Infill project (est. completion 2026). Travelers can visit our Journey With AUS Construction page to follow construction activities.

• Screening for passengers with TSA PreCheck and Clear is available at Checkpoint 2 West.
• Travelers without TSA PreCheck or Clear should use Checkpoints 1 or 2 East for general screening.
• Global Entry kiosks will also be available.
• TSA PreCheck enrollment is now available at the CLEAR enrollment center at Checkpoint 1, no appointment needed.
• Checkpoint 2 West remains open until the last flight. This Checkpoint will accommodate all passengers after all other Checkpoints close.
• Global Entry kiosks will also be available.

Refer to our travel tips page at this link for more information about security or refer to the image below.         

Not sure what items are accepted between carry-on and checked luggage? Lucky for you, TSA.gov has all the rules you need to know concerning packing correctly in one click. To check whether or not an item can be brought with you to the airport, use TSA’s searchable What Can I Bring? list.

• Firearms are forbidden at TSA security checkpoints. Double-check your carry-on before entering the airport to confirm you are not accidentally traveling with your firearm through TSA. For more details about how to travel with a firearm, visit our Know Before You Go - Traveling with Firearms page.
• Even if items are allowed, they are subjected to additional screening. If the item triggers an alarm during screening, the final decision is up to TSA if that item is allowed on board. For more detailed packing tips, watch our How to Pack video.

Take off like a firework – Passenger Parking or Drop Off

Plan to park at AUS? Visit ABIAParking.com to check the real-time availability of our parking options. Currently, the option to book a parking space for the Red Garage, Blue Garage, and Economy Parking is temporarily unavailable until August 10, 2024. This guarantees all garage parking is available to all customers during peak summer travel.

• We encourage integrating additional arrival time if you intend on using the shuttle service to the terminal, which runs approximately every 15-20 minutes.
• You can use either the upper level for departures or the lower level for arrivals to drop off passengers. Remember, if you're picking up someone and the lower level for arrivals is quite crowded, you can have your passenger meet you at the upper level to be picked up.
• Passengers flying Frontier and Allegiant are recommended to park on-site at the South Terminal.
• Want to rent a vehicle? Exit the Barbara-Jordan Terminal, take one of the marked pedestrian crosswalks, and follow the path of floating hollow concrete to the Rental Car Facility. You can also use the AUS digital map at airportmaps.flyaustin.com to locate the rental car facility or this digital document for detailed instructions.

The holiday can start at AUS...

• You know how we mentioned BBQ? Oh, we have BBQ and much more unforgettable Texas favorites! After you go through security, you can celebrate by enjoying food from our local restaurants. For our thirsty folks, we have quite a few bars where you can order that summertime cocktail you know will hit the spot. For more details on summer drinks in the terminal, visit our recent blog post, Beat the Heat with AUS: The Sweet Retreat with Summer Cocktails.

• Not hungry yet? That's quite alright, you can check out our unique retail spots or admire our many art exhibits in the terminal by using our digital wayfinding map at airportmaps.flyaustin.com. Roam the terminal, find one of our music stages, and get the chance to listen to local talent perform! Averaging around 30 shows a week, AUS is excited to feature awesome music from an array of Austin artists. You can skim a detailed schedule of our 8 music stages on the Live Music in the Air at AUS program webpage.

As always, AUS will be scheduling additional Department of Aviation staff during peak travel periods to assist in the terminal with line management, TSA support, and passenger navigation. We strive to provide a pleasant and safe experience at the airport for everyone. We ask that you remember to pack your patience, kindness, and consideration for people around you and AUS employees. If you have any questions, feel free to ask an airport employee.