Austin to Asia? Talks to bring nonstop flights to AUS 'incredibly productive' ...Middle East

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Talks to bring nonstop flights between Austin and Asian cities are "incredibly productive," according to a consulting firm that works with Austin's airport to attract and maintain new airlines and routes.

"We're having incredibly productive conversations with Asian airlines," Kevin Schorr, vice president of Campbell-Hill Aviation Group, told members of the Austin Airport Advisory Commission earlier this month.

"We talk to the airlines as often as we can to help them understand not just what's happening in the Austin community and in Central Texas, but most importantly, we want to help them understand how many new Asian businesses are opening up, how many Asians are moving into the area... what is their heritage, what part of Asia do they come from."

The presentation from Campbell-Hill, which works with both airlines and airports to secure new nonstop service, said things were moving in the right direction to bring direct flights between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Asia.

"We do believe we're in the best position we've ever been, so it's really a matter of time for Austin to fit in with an airline's strategy and corporate strategy in terms of their desire to expand to North America," Schorr said. "Asian airlines are global, so we are fighting for that same aircraft as is a city in India, as a city in Europe, as a city in every part of the world."

Schorr didn't give a specific timeline for when new flights could begin. "You never know with air service," he said. "This could be three years from now, five years from now, or it could be six months from now."

While specific cities and airlines weren't named in the presentation, airport officials have been targeting several Asian destinations for years. A 2019 memo, later amended in 2021, named Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo as international priority routes for the airport.

Amsterdam, Dublin and Paris were also listed as priority routes. Dutch airline KLM began direct flights to Amsterdam in March 2022. Nonstop flights to Paris also nearly came to fruition. Norwegian Air announced in October 2019 it would begin service in May 2020, but the route was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline later announced it would not start the route at a later date, saying it wanted to focus on shorter flights within Europe.

In the airport's monthly air service report for January 2025, Paris ranked as the most in-demand international market for passengers from Austin that currently doesn't have nonstop service. Seoul ranked fourth, Dublin ranked sixth, and Tokyo ranked tenth.

AUS offers several incentives to any airline that brings nonstop service to one of the listed priority routes, including covering up to $500,000 in marketing costs and waiving airport fees.

How could the terminal expansion impact routes?

Recent travelers at Austin-Bergstrom will have noticed a lot of construction lately. Work on the 'West Infill' project, which will add about 75,000 square feet to the terminal, is already underway, but the construction doesn't stop there.

A new terminal concourse, part of the Journey with AUS expansion program, will bring a minimum of 20 new gates to the airport, along with additional restaurants, shops, lounges and other amenities. Substantial construction is set to begin in 2027, with the new facility opening as early as 2030.

"I think it's really going to give some airlines the ability to grow and spread their wings, no pun intended, more than they're able to do currently," Schorr said, adding that new domestic and international routes are a possibility, as well as new airlines.

"I think it's really going to give the airlines the opportunity to do some things that they've wanted to do and their hands are tied behind their back a little bit," Schorr said, alluding to space constraints at the existing Barbara Jordan Terminal as passenger numbers grow.

A record 22 million passengers flew in and out of AUS in 2023. About 19.9 million passengers were reported in 2024 through November, the most recent month with data available.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Austin to Asia? Talks to bring nonstop flights to AUS 'incredibly productive' )

Also on site :

• Man shot and killed after standoff with Columbus police during barricade incident
• What Your Zodiac Sign Manifests in Gemini Season: Luck or Drama?
• The 1 Money Concern Millennials Bring Up in Therapy, According to Therapists