Concourse M at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will function as a temporary added terminal during the overall airport expansion. (Rendering courtesy Austin Aviation)
Editor's note: This article was updated with additional information from Austin Aviation.
The South Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is officially shutting down March 31 after less than a decade in operation.
The auxiliary terminal will be demolished to make way for new midfield taxiways as part of the multiyear Journey with AUS campus expansion. That includes the addition of the 26-gate Concourse B with a new connecting tunnel to the existing Barbara Jordan Terminal, and the development of a temporary six-gate southern terminal called Concourse M.
qThe multiyear Journey with AUS expansion program will add several new facilities and improvements around the airport campus. (Courtesy Austin-Bergstrom International Airport)
The overview
The first flight took off from ABIA's South Terminal, located at 10000 Logistics Lane, on April 13, 2017. Since then, millions of people have traveled through the 30,000-square-foot facility. Austin Aviation didn't have exact flight or passenger totals for the South Terminal as of press time.
Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Air are operating from the South Terminal through its closure this spring. Those airlines are moving to the Barbara Jordan Terminal and will use new gates in the West Gate expansion area, according to Austin Aviation.
“As we continue to plan for the future of air travel in Austin, this transition represents an important step forward,” airport CEO Ghizlane Badawi said in a statement. “The South Terminal has played a meaningful role in our airport’s growth, and we are grateful for the passengers, partners, and team members who have been part of its success. Bringing all airlines under one roof allows us to better serve our community today while building the infrastructure needed for tomorrow."
ABIA's parking shuttle will continue to run between both facilities after April 1 in case any passengers parked at the South Terminal and departed before it shut down. During April, the airport began removing some equipment from the terminal ahead of its eventually torn down.
Demolition will proceed in the future after further site preparation, and once that activity is permitted by the city. The tear-down project will dismantle the terminal in pieces, including the separation of various building materials for recycling.
Passengers boarded a flight departing the South Terminal, which is closing and will be removed for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's expansion. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
Looking back
The South Terminal was initially expected to have a longer presence at ABIA, and its early closure led to costly legal proceedings between the city and former facility operator LoneStar Airport Holdings.
City aviation officials first announced plans to remove the South Terminal due to the airport expansion in 2021. However, the city and LoneStar had agreed to a 30-year lease agreement to rehabilitate and operate the terminal, and the company spent $12 million on renovations before it opened. Austin initially offered less than $2 million to buy out the facility, an offer LoneStar rejected.
The city then sought to take over business at the terminal via eminent domain proceedings authorized in 2022, leading LoneStar to file suit over claims including breach of contract. Austin spent millions of dollars on legal services and was eventually ordered to pay $90 million to resolve the takeover litigation; an $88 million settlement paid from Austin's aviation budget was later approved.
Austin's South Terminal opened in 2017. (Courtesy Austin Aviation)
A closer look
Ahead of the South Terminal closure, Austin Aviation unveiled its initial designs for the future Concourse M. Its gates on the west side of ABIA's airfield are meant for relief and diversions during Journey with AUS construction as the Barbara Jordan Terminal is expanded and improved, and while Concourse B remains in development.
“Concourse M is a critical project that allows us to deliver more airline gates quickly, especially as we ramp up construction across the airfield,” Badawi said. “As we continue design and pre-construction work on the new 26-gate Concourse B, we know our airline partners and passengers need more space as soon as possible, and this project will do just that, all while offering AUS travelers convenient amenities.”
Concourse M will feature six gates and concessions. (Rendering courtesy Austin Aviation)
Unlike the South Terminal, the 37,537-square-foot Concourse M won't have parking and will only be accessible via shuttle bus from Gate 13 at the Barbara Jordan Terminal. The facility will handle narrow-body aircraft with four interior and two walk-out gates as Barbara Jordan Terminal updates and Concourse B construction continue.
The facility will have restrooms, a pet relief room and shaded outdoor areas for travelers using walk-out gates. It'll also feature a Desnudo Coffee and grab-and-go retail area under a concessions agreement authorized by city officials in March.
The new concourse is being designed by joint venture Stantec/Fentress and will be built by Hensel Phelps. Groundbreaking will take place later this year and the facility could open by spring 2028.
Austin Aviation didn't confirm estimated costs for Concourse M's development or its future freight conversion as of press time.
Concourse M will feature six gates and concessions. (Rendering courtesy Austin Aviation)
What's next
While new terminal development will take several years, other Journey with AUS initiatives will be completed in the coming months. Both the West Gate and terminal atrium infill projects will open in 2026, according to Austin Aviation.
