AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- With air travel continuing to rebound against the lows of the COVID-19 pandemic, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is continuing to see record-setting growth each month.
Airport officials said 2021 ended as the fourth busiest on record at AUS, with passenger traffic - more than 13.5 million passengers - racking up a 109% increase over 2020.
For December 2021, passenger totals were up 209% with nearly 1.6 million passengers traveling through AUS. It was the second straight month of record passenger levels through the airport.
With passenger travel returning to record levels at the airport, concessions at AUS are also reaping the benefits of increased demand for air travel. According to AUS officials, travelers through the airport over the course of 2021 enjoyed more than 37 tons of brisket at the airport's Salt Lick BBQ location, more than 1.45 million tacos, and more than 5,600 "Keep Austin Weird" shirts.
AUS officials also highlighted new airlines at the airport, including Hawaiian Airlines and JSX, along with 26 new nonstop destinations and the return of international carriers.