More than 100 flights arriving at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport were delayed on September 11, 2026, following a Federal Aviation Administration ground delay program issued shortly before 11 a.m. Initially set to last until 7 p.m., the delay was extended to 9 p.m. due to thunderstorms across Central Texas affecting the Interstate 35 corridor. The FAA applied the ground delay to all Austin-bound flights originating within the contiguous United States to reduce congestion at the airport.
Construction and Weather Delay Operations
The FAA cited ongoing construction and weather as the main reasons for the ground delay program. Crews are building two miles of new taxiways in
the middle of Austin-Bergstrom’s airfield to support a future second concourse. These new taxiways will connect the airport’s east and west sides and replace existing taxiways removed to make way for the new concourse. Additionally, low clouds prompted brief ground stops for all arriving flights in the early morning and afternoon. Thunderstorms north and west of Austin worsened delay conditions as the day progressed.
Flight Delays and Passenger Impact
Inbound flight delays averaged 32 minutes just before noon and increased to about an hour by mid-afternoon. The FAA warned that some flights could experience delays exceeding two and a half hours, with certain delays expected
to surpass three hours. Austin-Bergstrom’s arrivals board showed approximately 115 delayed inbound flights through 7 p.m. and about 95 delayed flights continuing through midnight. The ground delay affected all flights arriving from other U.S. states.
Airport Official Comments and Guidance
Jim Reynolds, spokesman for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said most delays were under 30 minutes, but some extended beyond one hour. He urged travelers to monitor their flight information to stay updated on schedule changes. “The majority of these delays are less than 30 minutes but there are a handful of delays over an hour,” Reynolds stated. “Travelers should keep an eye on their flight status
and info from their airlines as they will have the latest information regarding flight times and changes to their schedules.”
