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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Delta Air Lines is expanding operations at Austin’s airport, with 11 new flights scheduled for 2024, including three new nonstop routes.
“For the first time, Delta is positioning Austin as a key access point to facilitate connections to its larger global network,” a press release from the airline said.
New year-round routes to Nashville, Midland/Odessa and McAllen will launch on April 22, each with three flights per day. Meanwhile, existing routes to Cincinnati and Raleigh/Durham will receive an extra daily flight beginning the same day.
The Nashville route is currently served by American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, while Southwest serves Midland/Odessa. The route to McAllen is not currently served by any airline from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
The new flights will all be operated by Delta Connection. The airline said the expansion means Delta will have a 20% increased capacity from AUS.
“This expansion not only creates an access point to diverse opportunities for business, leisure, and cultural exploration spanning Texas and beyond but also solidifies Delta’s commitment to being a key player in Austin’s evolving landscape,” said Joe Esposito, senior vice president for network planning. “Austin is growing rapidly, and this 20% increase in capacity mirrors that growth as we look to provide our customers with unparalleled convenience in the region.”
Delta previously launched a nonstop service from Austin to Las Vegas and Orlando in October.
Through September this year, Delta is the third-largest airline operating at AUS in terms of passenger traffic, behind Southwest and American, with more than 2 million passengers. That number is an 11% increase over the same time period in 2022.
In July alone, Delta flew a record 269,000 passengers in and out of AUS.
Friday’s announcement from Delta comes about six weeks after American said it would cut 21 routes from AUS as part of network evaluations. The canceled routes include six international destinations, including in the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Costa Rica, and 15 domestic destinations.
One of the domestic routes cut by American was Cincinnati — which is one of the routes that Delta is adding a new daily flight to.
Five other new flights have been added to the schedule from AUS in 2024. Southwest will launch seasonal service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, in March, and Boston in June. Allegiant will begin service to Eugene, Oregon, in May.
Two new international routes are also coming to Austin. Viva Aerobus will fly to Monterrey, Mexico, beginning in March, while Air Canada will launch nonstop service to Montreal in May.
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