A ground delay program at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is causing arriving flights to experience average delays of approximately 75 minutes on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented the delay starting at 11 a.m. and scheduled to run until 9:29 p.m. the same day.
Causes of Delay and Air Traffic Restrictions
The delay results from a surge in air traffic connected to two major events: the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas and a Texas Longhorns football game against Ole Miss scheduled for the following day. In response, the FAA introduced special air traffic procedures, including restrictions on
general aviation operations at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Regularly scheduled commercial flights remain exempt from these restrictions.
Travelers arriving at Austin-Bergstrom should expect extended wait times due to the heightened aircraft activity in the region. Airport officials anticipate that departure traffic on Monday following these events could set a record for the busiest single day in the airport’s history.
