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A new lounge opening in Texas will take the honor of setting a major milestone for 
American Airlines as it will be the first in its entire network to feature an outdoor terrace. The airline announced on March 10, 2026, that it is building this brand-new Admirals Club at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).
Austin features a very mild climate and will provide a pleasant atmosphere in the new open air lounge space for travelers to de-stress and alleviate some of the fatigue from traveling. The natural fresh air and sunny skies will be complimented by a number of other upgrades to enhance the Admirals Club and make the experience of flying with AA from AUS, better than ever before.
American Goes Bigger And Better In Texas
Not only will the new lounge have the first ever outdoor space of any Admirals Club, it will be double the size of the previous lounge at Austin. It will be located on the west side of the Barbara Jordan Terminal. Construction is set to begin later in 2026 and it will span over 12,000 square feet when it is complete, according to CBS News. The layout will include dedicated zones for dining, relaxing, working, and ‘recharging.’
Under its new leasing agreement, renewed early this year, the airline has jumped up from four gates to 9 Gates in the terminal area of its new lounge promising a more premium experience and more service options for future flyers. Future operations will focus almost exclusively on select leisure spots in Mexico and connecting Austin travelers to its eight domestic hubs: DFW, CLT, ORD, LAX, MIA, JFK, PHL, and PHX.
American’s Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden commented in the airline’s press release that announced the all-new club:
“As we elevate our presence in Austin, we’re excited to bring a new level of comfort and hospitality to our customers. This new Admirals Club lounge will reflect the vibrant spirit of Austin.”
AvGeeks Delight: The Ultimate View
The introduction of the first outdoor terrace for a American Airlines Admirals Club is part of a strategic shift to not only keep pace with other premium airport lounges around the world that now offer open air spaces but also take advantage of a unique location. This particular lounge is expected to be very popular with aviation enthusiasts as it will have direct sight lines to observe jets during takeoff and landing.
The airport serves as a joint-use facility for several reserve and National Guard units, which means enthusiasts are likely to see various military aircraft as well as commercial jetliners from the new outdoor terrace. The Texas Army National Guard has an aviation unit at AUS and Reserve units from the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps host activities at the airfield as well. The airport hosts the Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF), which supports approximately 33 permanently stationed aircraft, including a significant number of Blackhawk helicopters.
In addition to seeing a wide variety of twin-aisle and narrowbody airliners from both domestic and international carriers, plane spotters can expect to see Blackhawk helicopters and Navy fighter jets with regular frequency. There are even occasional visits from larger military transport aircraft like the C-130 Hercules.
American Airlines To Introduce New Flagship Lounge At Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Plans to unveil a new premium space underscore the airline’s commitment to its second-largest hub.
American And Austin: A Roller Coaster Relationship
American was one of the first operators to set up shop at Austin Airport and has maintained a significant presence at the since operations began in 1999. American is currently the third largest carrier by market share at Austin, with estimates of around 15% of the airport’s traffic being scheduled on AA aircraft, as KXAN Austin reports.
Starting in late 2023 and continuing through 2025, American significantly reduced its Austin footprint. The airline had aggressively expanded in 2021 as it expected high traffic from the local tech industry. The past three years have seen AA cut roughly 35 nonstop routes to focus on more profitable hub-to-point-to-point flying.
Southwest Airlines is the dominant operator with almost 40% of the traffic carried by its jets. Delta take second place with about 20% of the scheduled flights that pass through AUS. American is now expanding its operations once again, AA’s commitment to the airport’s five billion dollar expansion plan ensures it remains one of the core tenants.
