On September 11, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground delay program at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that affected more than 200 inbound flights. The delay was prompted by ongoing construction on taxiways and was aimed at reducing congestion at the airport.
Flight Delays and Timing
The ground delay began just before 11 a.m. for all flights arriving from the contiguous United States headed to Austin, Texas. Initially, the delay was set to continue until 7 p.m. but was extended to 9 p.m. due to thunderstorms moving through Central Texas and the Interstate 35 corridor. Around noon, average inbound flight delays reached 32
minutes, with some flights delayed more than 2.5 hours.
The airport’s arrivals board showed approximately 115 flights delayed through 7 p.m. By mid-afternoon, after 3 p.m., the average delay increased to about one hour, and some flights were delayed over 3 hours. Overall, close to 95 inbound flights were delayed through midnight.
Taxiway Construction Linked to Delays
The FAA implemented the ground delay program to accommodate crews working on building two miles of new taxiways at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. These new taxiways will connect the east and west sides of the airfield and facilitate construction of a second concourse by replacing existing taxiways that must
be removed.
Official Statements and Advisories
Jim Reynolds, airport spokesman, said, “The majority of these delays are less than 30 minutes but there are a handful of delays over an hour.” He advised travelers to monitor flight status and airline communications closely for updates on flight times and schedule changes.
Weather and Additional Flight Restrictions
Rain and thunderstorms north and west of Austin late on September 11 extended delays for inbound flights. The FAA also imposed brief ground stops earlier in the morning and afternoon as low clouds lingered over the airport, temporarily halting all flights arriving into Austin.
