AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin’s airport saw explosive growth in 2022 as passenger numbers rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic, and then some.
A record 21,089,289 passengers were recorded flying out of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport last year.
We’re keeping track of all the numbers in what is set to be another busy year at AUS. Follow along with our interactive charts below.
We have created several interactive charts to help break down the data so it’s easier to navigate all the passenger numbers. Scroll down to explore all the data, or jump to a specific question using these links:
What’s the busiest year on record?
What’s the busiest month on record?
What’s the busiest day on record?
Which airline carries the most passengers?
Which airlines are seeing the most growth?
What new routes are coming in 2023?
What’s the busiest year on record?
2022 was a record year at AUS, by far. More than 21 million passengers boarded a flight out of the airport, more than 3.7 million more than the previous record set in 2019.
For 2023, we have passenger totals for only the month of January at this point. More than 1.5 million passengers have been reported so far this year.
What’s the busiest month on record?
At the end of last year, all 10 of the top 10 busiest months of all time were in 2022. At this time, May 2022 stands as the busiest month ever at AUS, with more than 2 million passengers.
October 2022 is the only other month to see more than 2 million passengers.
We’re keeping track of the monthly passenger totals in 2023 in the chart below.
January 2023 ranks as the busiest January on record at AUS.
What’s the busiest day on record?
Oct. 24, 2022 stands as the current busiest day on record, with more than 43,000 passengers reported. The spike in passenger totals came as travelers left Austin after F1 weekend.
Days during SXSW, Spring Break and ACL also feature in the top 10 busiest days on record.
Which airline carries the most passengers?
Southwest Airlines is the largest airline operating at AUS in terms of passenger traffic. The airline frequently accounts for almost 40% of passengers each month.
American Airlines comes next, accounting for about a quarter of passengers. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines often trade places in third and fourth place.
Which airlines are seeing the most growth?
The chart below shows how passenger totals accumulate through the year. Use the drop-down menu at the top to select a specific airline.
The chart below shows year-over-year growth in passenger totals. If a month is colored green, passenger totals were higher in 2023 than the same month in 2022. If red, the number of passengers decreased.
The chart below shows how passenger totals this year compare to 2022. If an airline has a green box in a certain month, it means the airline saw an increase in passengers compared to the same month last year. If the box is red, the airline saw a drop in passengers that month.
For example, British Airways saw a 131% increase in passengers in January 2023 compared to January 2022. Meanwhile, the number of passengers flying with Frontier Airlines dropped by 31%.
What new routes are coming in 2023?
Several airlines have launched or announced new routes in 2023. We have a running list in the table below.
If a route is brand new to the airport, it will be highlighted yellow in the right-hand column. Others listed in the table are new routes for a specific airline, but the route is already offered by a competing airline.
Here’s some of our previous reporting on the new routes coming to AUS this year:
Southwest launching new nonstop from Austin to Colorado ski destination in January
American adds new nonstop from Austin to Memphis, taking off in January
American Airlines expanding service from Austin to California, Florida
American to launch nonstop from Austin to Florida beach destination in March
Spirit Airlines launching new nonstop from Austin to Baltimore in February
American to launch Austin-Sacramento nonstop in May 2023
4 new routes announced for Austin airport, including 2 new international destinations
Allegiant to introduce new route from Austin-Bergstrom this summer