The Best Airlines to Fly From Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (FAA:AUS)
Austin is one of the most fun cities in the USA, with great weather almost all year round!
Flying from Austin Airport? You're in for a treat! With its convenient proximity to the city, super modern facilities (every time I visit it’s newly updated), and a plethora of airlines to choose from, the Austin airport in the capital city of Texas has become a hub for travelers from around the world. While Austin was a somewhat smaller airport just 10 years ago, it has flourished and now is one of the busiest airports in the USA (just like Austin itself)!
However, whether you're jetting off for a quick business trip or embarking on a long-awaited vacation, selecting the right airline from Austin can make all the difference as to how well your travel goes. In this blog post, we'll explore the best airlines that operate out of Austin Airport to help you make the right choice for your travel. Each airline option offers unique advantages and downsides, including the variety of destinations and routes, the price of the trip, and the quality of the travel experience. So, before you get your boarding pass, make sure to check out the list below to discover the best airlines to fly with from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport!
Here are the best airlines to fly from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport:
1. American Airlines
When it comes to flying from Austin Airport, American Airlines easily stands out as one of the best airlines to choose from, largely due to its incredible coverage of the USA. As you can see from the flight map below, American Airlines provides access to a wide range of destinations in the USA, both domestic east, north, and west, as well as international to Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. In fact, no other airline has as many options for destinations from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as American Airlines!
While we generally don’t recommend American Airlines due to their lack of credit card point transfer compared to airlines like United or Delta (the only direct credit transfer partner of American is Bilt Rewards from Wells Fargo), for flying from Austin, American’s sheer number of destinations can’t really be beaten. If you live in Austin and fly frequently, it is almost a guarantee that you will have to take an AA flight at some point,
As well, if you travel to the UK frequently, the partnership between American and British Airways can be super powerful, as you can book using points through American (but on British) with any status and get the benefits on your flights to London!
American Airlines flight map from Austin Airport, with good coverage across most of the USA and Mexico
Southwest Airlines is another one of the best airlines to fly from Austin to get to a wide variety of destinations across the USA and Mexico. I’ll be honest, I am not a fan of Southwest—the lack of a dedicated seat map for each flight kills me. However, Southwest does have direct flights to over 20 different states and to almost all the major cities in the USA outside of the Northeast and the Pacific Northwest. Therefore, if you often fly from Austin and want to go to a wide variety of destinations, Southwest Airlines can be a great option.
Southwest also tends to have more budget flights to a lot of destinations compared to American, so if you’re willing to make that tradeoff (and deal with the wonky seat selection process), or you use a Chase Sapphire credit card which transfers points directly to Southwest, then this airline is a great option for you. However, Southwest generally ranks poorer in customer experience compared to other airlines, so keep in mind that the cheaper prices will come with fewer amenities.
Southwest Airlines’s flight map from Austin Airport, giving great access to most of the domestic USA
3. Allegiant
Allegiant is one of the lesser-known airlines that flies in the domestic USA and is known for its ultra-low-cost set-up (imagine RyanAir from Europe type of travel) that allows people to travel for a fraction of the cost of most other airlines.
For instance, you can fly roundtrip from Austin to Las Vegas on Allegiant Air for less than $100 total! While Allegiant does not fly to too many destinations outside of certain pockets (e.g., Los Angeles/Vegas, Midwest, Florida), if you’re going to one of those locations, you are not going to find a cheaper way of getting there than by flying on Allegiant.
However, if you are someone who prefers more luxurious travel experiences or wants a certain level of amenities, we recommend skipping this airline and using the next on our list. There is a time and a place for budget travel, and Allegiant does budget travel better than most out there.
Allegiant Airlines flight map from Austin Airport, covering specific pockets near San Diego/Los Angeles, the Midwest, and Florida
4. Delta
Delta is arguably the most luxurious airline on this list, with free wifi, frequent flights, and multiple seating tiers to accommodate all forms of travel (e.g., Comfort Plus, DeltaOne). If you’re looking to travel comfortably from Austin Airport, or you have status with Delta or another one of the SkyTeam Alliance airlines, Delta will likely be the best option for you.
As well, American Express points can be converted to Delta points at a 1:1 ratio, which makes booking flights with points on Delta substantially easier than on other airlines on this list. However, Delta only flies to a select few locations from Austin (see flight map below), including Boston, NYC, LA, and Minneapolis. Luckily, despite having fewer routes overall, Delta has a route to the Pacific Northwest (Seattle), an area not covered by any other of the top airlines you can fly from Austin! So if you want a more luxurious experience, have Delta status, or want to travel to the Pacific Northwest, Delta Airlines is the airline for you.
We particularly recommend flying on Delta to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Atlanta, Boston, and LaGuardia, as these are all Delta hubs and will have multiple cheap flights every day.
Delta’s flight map from Austin Airport to the rest of the domestic USA. While there are not many options, we highly recommend Delta if you’re going to one of the destinations covered.
Summary
In conclusion, when it comes to choosing the best airlines to fly from Austin Airport, passengers are largely spoiled for choice. While Austin may not be as big an airport as Boston or LA, there is still a great variety of airlines to choose from.
Whether you're looking for top-notch travel luxury, a wide array of destinations, or the chance to travel as cheaply as possible, one of the airlines on our list will definitely suit your needs. For the best coverage of US destinations, American and Southwest will likely be your best bet, while Allegiant provides great coverage at a budget price, and Delta gives a more luxurious experience to a few select locations. So the next time you're planning your journey, rest assured that you'll be in good hands when you choose to fly with one of these airlines from Austin
We hope this article helped you in your search for the best airline to fly from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport! If you’re in need of a travel credit card with no annual fee, make sure to check out our list of recommendations here! On the other hand, if you’re looking to get a hotel card to help get status at hotels wherever you end up flying, make sure to explore our guide to the best ones. And if you end up in Boston, make sure to check out the list of the best airlines to fly from Boston-Logan.