Austin-Bergstrom International Airport broke ground Sept. 29 on a six-gate midfield concourse designed to hold gate capacity steady while the Texas airport executes an expansion program estimated at more than $5 billion.

The roughly 37,500-square-foot Concourse M will sit on the west side of the airfield, separate from the Barbara Jordan Terminal. It will accommodate six narrow-body aircraft: four contact gates fitted with passenger boarding bridges and two walk-out gates.

Shuttle buses will move passengers between the Barbara Jordan Terminal and the new concourse. Amenities include restrooms, a nursing room, concessions, public Wi-Fi and a pet relief area. Officials are targeting an opening as early as 2028, with construction beginning soon after the ceremonial groundbreaking.

Why does Austin need an interim concourse?

Concourse M exists to solve a sequencing problem. The airport's Journey With AUS program includes construction of a new 26-gate Concourse B, redevelopment of the Barbara Jordan Terminal, a new arrivals and departures hall and upgrades to airport utility systems — work that would otherwise remove gates from service.

"Concourse M is a critical project that allows us to deliver more airline gates quickly, especially as we ramp up construction across the airfield," said Ghizlane Badawi, chief executive officer of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, when designs were unveiled earlier this year.

The concourse adds gate capacity while other parts of the airport are under construction, allowing airlines to keep operating through the modernization effort. For carriers serving one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the US, the facility protects schedule integrity during years of disruption.

What accompanies the concourse?

A Maintenance Ramp Expansion is being developed alongside Concourse M. It adds six aircraft parking positions — four equipped with boarding bridges and two designed for ground-loading operations — and is expected to be completed in 2027, ahead of the concourse's 2028 target.

The ramp capacity gives the airport flexibility in aircraft parking and helps sustain airline operations during construction of the larger permanent facilities.

Who is building it, and who is paying?

Stantec/Fentress leads design of Concourse M, with Hensel Phelps as prime contractor. RS&H leads planning for the Maintenance Ramp Expansion, and Austin Bridge & Road oversees its construction.

Both projects draw on airport revenues, cash reserves, federal grants and future airport revenue bond proceeds. The Federal Aviation Administration has provided more than $9 million for the Maintenance Ramp Expansion through its Airport Infrastructure Grant and Airport Improvement Program funding.

What comes after 2028?

The phased approach lets Austin-Bergstrom maintain operations while expanding to meet demand in Central Texas. Concourse M is temporary capacity insurance; the permanent network backbone arrives with the 26-gate Concourse B and the redeveloped Barbara Jordan Terminal under the broader Journey With AUS program.