Austin-Bergstrom International Airport closes TSA Checkpoint 3 to make way for West Gate expansion

Travelers began to see direct impacts from Austin Bergstrom-International Airport’s many construction projects last week when the airport closed TSA Checkpoint 3 to make way for expansions to the far west end of the terminal.

The closure is expected to last until 2026 — here’s what to know.

Why close Checkpoint 3?

The airport closed Checkpoint 3 to make way for crews to work on the West Infill expansion project, which will result in:

• 75,000 sqft of new space
• An new outbound baggage handling system with the capacity to process 4,000 bags per hour (compared to the current system’s capacity of 1,600 bags per hour)
• Six-to-eight new lanes at Checkpoint 3

Until the project is complete, travelers can use Checkpoints 1 and 2 West for general screening, Checkpoints 1 and 2 East for TSA PreCheck, or Checkpoint 1 for CLEAR.

What else is happening at ABIA?

Lots. The Journey With AUS multi-year expansion plan has several moving parts, with the following projects already in the works:

• West Gate Expansion | Expected completion date: late 2026
  
  • 84,500 sqft of new space
  • New third level mezzanine, quiet space, and playscape
  • Three new gates
• Airline fuel facility | Expected completion date: this year
  
  • New fuel facility to meet demand for 3-5% annual increase

And there’s more where that came from. Projects in the “design” and “envision” stage include:

• Adding 13,000 sqft of floor space in the ticketing-level atrium
• Building new baggage carousels, booths, and queuing space for international arrivals
• Constructing Concourse B, which will connect to the Barbara Jordan Terminal through an underground tunnel
• Removing and replacing the Red Garage to make way for a new arrivals and departure hall with expanded check-in and space for concessions and tenants
• Erecting a new, 6,500-7,500-space garage near the Blue Garage

See the full plan and learn more about Journey with AUS.