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.