Austin airport officials anticipate busy days following total solar eclipse

The details

The Austin-area was in the path of totality for the eclipse, meaning it was one of few places on the planet that spectators could see the moon completely block the sun. This prompted planning around an anticipated 1 million visitors.

Travis County officials declared a local disaster March 8, ahead of the eclipse April 8. The declaration allowed officials to prepare emergency services, as a strain on traffic, cellular towers and emergency response was expected. The city of Dripping Springs also declared a disaster, and city officials said the event could quadruple the population.

Zooming out

ABIA officials reported 2023 as the busiest year on record for the airport, breaking the previous year’s record by over a million passengers. Amid this rapid passenger growth, an expansion and development program will address the growth and modernize the facility.

As part of the expansion, travelers may notice that a security checkpoint closed Feb. 5 until at least 2026 as part of the West Infill project, which will expand the checkpoint and add more space for travelers in addition to space for the new baggage handling system.