December 2023 passenger, cargo traffic at AUS & year-end numbers for 2023

AUSTIN, Texas – 2023 was another record-breaking year for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). For the second consecutive year, AUS had its busiest year on record with over 22 million total arriving and departing passengers served in 2023. That number surpasses last year’s record-breaking total by more than one million passengers, the most notable number showcasing AUS’s continued commitment to our growing population and increased demand for air travel.  
 
Not only that, but December 2023 was the highest December on record for the airport with 1,802,593 arriving and departing passengers flying during the month, a 4.9% increase compared to December 2022. The busiest month of the entire year was July, which greeted 2,040,981 arriving and departing passengers. The total passenger count for 2023 was 22,095,876 passengers, up 4.77%, compared to 2022.  
 
As the Austin and Central Texas populations continue to grow, AUS continues to work with airline partners to offer new nonstop destinations. Last summer, AUS celebrated a new partnership with Copa Airlines, introducing nonstop flights from Austin, TX to Panama City, Panama. AUS travelers benefitted from new nonstop flights launched to Omaha, Nebraska, Montrose, Colorado, and returning serviced to Vancouver and Calgary, Canada. This year, AUS will welcome Viva Aerobus, which will launch nonstop flights to Monterrey, Mexico this March.
 
As more travelers flew in and out of AUS at record-breaking levels, AUS teams continued to work hard to deliver improvements that will transform the airport from a medium-sized one to a large one. Through the Journey With AUS expansion and development program, we made significant progress across the airport:

• Opened newly renovated restrooms in the concourse food court.
• Began the enabling work of removing vacant buildings on the south side of the airport property to make way for new midfield taxiways.
• Broke ground on the West Gate Expansion project that will add an extra 84,500 sq. ft. of space for amenities.
• Continued construction on our new outbound baggage handling system, which, upon completion, will process approximately 4,000 bags per hour.
• Our airline fuel consortium partners are in the final stages of constructing their Airline Fuel Facility, which will support the fuel demands of the airlines.
• Began enabling work on the West Infill project, which will add more terminal space for the outbound baggage handling system and expansion of TSA Checkpoint 3
• Worked collaboratively with our Transportation Security Administration partners to install state-of-the-art security screening equipment that now allows travelers to keep their laptops and electronic devices in their bags at all AUS TSA Checkpoints.

Passenger numbers can measure a year of travel, but for our airport, so can BBQ and tacos. In total, 99,239 pounds – 50 tons – of Salt Lick BBQ brisket and over 1 million tacos were eaten, and 8,232 Keep Austin Weird shirts were sold to passengers, marking a successful year for our concession partners.
 
Our Arts and Music Program also thrived in 2023 by showcasing 24 talented artist and artist groups as part of the changing art exhibits program. And, as always, AUS fulfilled its dutiful role to Austin of supporting its “Live Music Capital of the World” claim by hosting 1,470 live shows across our 8 stages. Notably, AUS had the privilege of hosting the international supergroup boygenius for 2023 South by Southwest.  
 
Over the course of 2023, AUS expanded its accessibility services as well. We launched various services for passengers with mobility assistive devices and launched the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard Program in April. The launch incorporated us into an international network of airports that provide services and support to passengers with non-visible disabilities. With the program in place, passengers with non-visible disabilities can order a sunflower lanyard that will discreetly indicate to others that they may need more time, support, or assistance due to a non-visible disability. AUS is happy to report it processed over 500 sunflower lanyard requests in 2023.  
 
We’re also celebrating another year of environmentally-conscious activities and services. In 2023, we released the first-ever AUS Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Report for the year of 2021. This comprehensive report looks at the airport’s impact on the environment, social responsibility, and corporate governance. From energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions to water conservation efforts, the report provides a transparent overview of the airport’s commitment to environmental efforts.  Additionally, the airport secured a $400,000 grant from the Government Alternative Fuel Fleet Program that will be used to add more carbon neutral buses to our fleet. 
 
With all these accomplishments in 2023, we were honored to be named the Medium-Sized Airport of the Year by CAPA – Centre for Aviation, host of the Global Aviation Awards for Excellence, and one of the world’s leading trusted sources of market intelligence for the aviation and travel industry. We couldn’t have claimed that title without the incredible teams, partners and stakeholders who contribute to making our airport a better place every day.

December 2023

Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for December 2023 was 1,802,593, up 4.95% compared to December 2022. December 2023 enplanements totaled 920,528, up 4.61%. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 742,389, up 19.8%; American Airlines passengers totaled 436,454, down 6%; Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 227,888, up 18.8%; United Airlines passengers totaled 196,698, up 1.3%; Alaska Airlines passengers totaled 56,364, down 28.9%; Spirit Airlines passengers totaled 34,263, down 32.8%; Allegiant Air passengers totaled 25,612, down 24.4%; JetBlue Airways passengers totaled 22,123, down 24.9%; British Airways passengers totaled 16,850, up 24.3%; Air Canada passengers totaled 6,698, up 61.6%; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines passengers totaled 5,967, down 9%; Hawaiian Airlines passengers totaled 5,738, down 9.5%; Lufthansa passengers totaled 5,738, up 5.6%; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 5,729, down 34%; Aeromexico passengers totaled 5,445, up 8%; Copa Airlines passengers totaled 4,632; Virgin Atlantic passengers totaled 3,764, down 13.5%; and Sun Country Airlines passengers totaled 241, up 36.9%.

December 2023 air cargo totaled 27,077,977 lbs., down 8.47% compared to December 2022. International air cargo totaled 2,107,609 lbs., up 21.19%. Air Transport International carried 9,547,226 lbs., up 14.9%; Federal Express carried 6,925,479 lbs.; United Parcel Services carried 3,557,486 lbs., down 16.2%; Atlas Air carried 1,272,327 lbs., down 0.4%; and Sun Country Airlines carried 951,718 lbs.

Air Services transferred 139,254 lbs. of mail, down 48.38%; and 3,565,029 lbs. of belly freight, up 18.62%.

Aircraft Operations: General Aviation operations totaled 3,574, down 0.80%. Combined operations (including commercial and military) totaled 22,725, up 8.15%.
 

January – December 2023

Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for January – December 2023 was 22,095,876, up 4.77% compared to January – December 2022. January – December 2023 enplanements totaled 11,050,652, up 4.54%. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 8,529,508, up 5.7%; American Airlines passengers totaled 5,249,859, down 3.9%; Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 2,770,932, up 13.6%; United Airlines passengers totaled 2,496,618, up 13.8%; Alaska Airlines passengers totaled 861,282, down 8.4%; Spirit Airlines passengers totaled 747,807, up 26.4%; Allegiant Air passengers totaled 377,091, down 10.2%; JetBlue Airways passengers totaled 285,194, down 16.6%; British Airways passengers totaled 191,181, up 29.4%; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 102,138, down 18.6%; Air Canada passengers totaled 86,796, up 25.5%; Hawaiian Airlines passengers totaled 81,531, up 17.2%; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines passengers totaled 69,115, up 28.7%; Lufthansa passengers totaled 68,498, up 43.5%; Aeromexico passengers totaled 61,314, up 2.3%; Virgin Atlantic passengers totaled 57,412, up 69.4%; Copa Airlines passengers totaled 27,713; Sun Country Airlines passengers totaled 17,062, down 16.2%; WestJet passengers totaled 11,712; Global Crossing Airlines passengers totaled 1,800; National Airlines passengers totaled 332; VivaAerobus passengers totaled 310; Omni Air International passengers totaled 201; All Nippon passengers totaled 198; Nolinor Aviation passengers totaled 160; and Maleth-Aero passengers totaled 112.

January – December 2023 air cargo totaled 283,054,195 lbs., down 8.79% compared to January – December 2022. International air cargo totaled 24,403,077 lbs., up 34.54%. Federal Express carried 80,018,299 lbs., down 6.1%; Air Transport International carried 79,504,892 lbs., down 12.1%; United Parcel Services carried 33,183,719 lbs., down 16.7%; and Atlas Air carried 26,918,071 lbs., down 17.8%.

Air Services transferred 2,963,904 lbs. of mail, down 55.40%; and 36,414,811 lbs. of belly freight, up 6.93%.

Aircraft Operations: General Aviation operations totaled 46,131 for January – December 2023, down –9.53%. Combined operations (including commercial and military) totaled 275,779, up 2.58%.