AUSTIN, Texas – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) celebrated the groundbreaking of Concourse M, a major milestone in the airport’s Journey With AUS expansion program and the ceremonial start of construction on a new six-gate facility designed to support continued growth and ongoing expansion efforts. This work is being advanced alongside the Maintenance Ramp Expansion, an important companion project that strengthens the airport’s ability to operate efficiently throughout ongoing construction.

Located on the west side of the airfield, Concourse M will add six gates capable of serving narrow-body aircraft, including four contact gates and two walk-out gates. The approximately 37,000-square-foot facility will operate separately from the Barbara Jordan Terminal and help maintain airline operations and passenger capacity while major construction projects continue across the airport campus.

“Concourse M is a critical component of the Journey With AUS expansion program, allowing us to advance major construction while continuing to serve millions of passengers each year,” said Ghizlane Badawi, Chief Executive Officer of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.  “By providing additional gate capacity as construction takes shape throughout the airport campus, Concourse M will help us support our airline partners, reduce operational impacts, and keep our community connected as we build the airport the Central Texas region needs.”

“The investments we’re making at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport are about more than today’s travel needs, they’re about ensuring long-term prosperity and economic strength for our region,” said Kirk Watson, Mayor of the City of Austin. “Concourse M will allow AUS to maintain reliable operations while multiple construction projects through the Journey With AUS expansion program advance across the airport, preserving gate capacity and keeping passengers, airlines, and commerce moving. This kind of infrastructure planning is essential to sustaining Austin’s competitiveness and economic vitality for decades to come.”

Passengers traveling through Concourse M will access the facility by shuttle bus service operating from Gate 13, the airport’s only ground-level gate in the Barbara Jordan Terminal. The shuttle system will transport passengers between the main terminal and the concourse, allowing the airport to efficiently utilize additional gate space while keeping construction activities separated from the primary terminal footprint.

The concourse will feature passenger amenities including full-size restrooms and a family restroom, a nursing room, public WiFi, a pet relief area, ample seating areas, and more.

On March 26, 2026, the Austin City Council authorized a food service and retail concession lease agreement for Concourse M with Star Concessions. Through this partnership, the concourse will feature a coffee market with 24-hour vending, anchoring the concession concept and providing travelers with convenient grab-and-go food, beverages and retail options while maintaining AUS’s focus on enhancing the passenger experience with locally inspired offerings.

Concourse M will primarily function as a reliever concourse during construction of the future 26-gate Concourse B & Tunnel project and the planned remodeling of Concourse A, ensuring the airport does not lose critical gate capacity during construction.

The Maintenance Ramp Expansion enhances the flexibility of the Journey With AUS program by adding six new aircraft parking positions and expanding the ramp to accommodate up to eighteen diverted aircraft.

Concourse M and the Maintenance Ramp Expansion are part of the airport’s multibillion-dollar Airport Expansion and Development Program (AEDP), also known as Journey With AUS, which will modernize and expand nearly every aspect of the airport over the coming years.

Construction on Concourse M will begin soon, with the airport targeting an opening as early as 2028.

The Maintenance Ramp Expansion project is slated to be completed in 2027.

Project Partners:
The Concourse M project design is being led by the joint venture of Stantec/Fentress, with Hensel Phelps serving as the prime contractor.

The Maintenance Ramp Expansion project is being delivered by RS&H, which is leading the planning efforts, and Austin Bridge & Road, which is overseeing construction.

Economic Impact and Funding:
Both the Maintenance Ramp Expansion and the Concourse M projects are funded through airport revenues, cash reserves, federal grants, and future airport revenue bond proceeds. No local taxpayer dollars are being used.

The project has received support from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program and the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), including more than $9 million in funding for the Maintenance Ramp Expansion. This expansion adds six new aircraft parking positions—four equipped with jet bridges and two designed for ground‑loading operations—providing essential operational flexibility and ensuring Concourse M can maintain gate capacity and support airline operations throughout the airport’s major construction efforts.

Travelers can learn more about Concourse M and the Journey With AUS expansion program and upcoming airport improvements by visiting the AUS website.