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Southwest Airlines has made history in the federal state of Texas by opening a brand-new crew base at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). While the blue-liveried budget carrier has served this facility for many years, its closure of the old crew base in 2025 meant that pilots and cabin crew living in the city had to fly to another base airport to start their duties. Now, this will no longer be required, making work life a whole lot easier.
The presence of a new crew base in Austin will also allow 
Southwest Airlines to expand its already considerable presence in the Texan city, with thousands of well-paid and union-protected jobs expected to be created as a result. From a passenger perspective, this growth could mean a greater choice of routes.
More Gates Means More Routes
According to reporting on the matter by FOX 7 Austin, the growth that will be unlocked by Southwest Airlines by having a new crew base in the Texan city could mean that the number of gates that it operates there will increase by as much as 80%. Indeed, in the coming years, the carrier is expected to increase its number of operated gates from ten to 18, which will help it to double the number of flights that it operates to and from the facility.
On the one hand, this will enable the airline to increase its frequencies on popular routes. However, it will also likely result in new corridors being opened, with passengers flying from Austin no longer needing to make any (or as many) changes en route in order to reach their final destinations. Highlighting this operational advantage, Lynn Lunsford, who serves as a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, explained to FOX 7 Austin that:
“As we continue to grow, you’re only going to see more opportunities open up to fly to places that previously you’d have to go to DFW or someplace and change planes to get to.”
Good News For Crew Too
Having a dedicated crew base in Austin will also make life considerably easier for pilots and cabin crew at Southwest Airlines who live in the city but have to fly elsewhere before they can officially start their trips at a base airport. On this front, Lunsford said that crew are ‘ecstatic,’ adding that “it means they don’t have to get on a plane in Austin and then fly to Dallas or Nashville or wherever to start their trips: their trips will now start in Austin.”
Sam Wilkins, who currently serves as the Vice President of the Southwest Flight Attendant Union, echoed these sentiments, saying that the move is ‘life-changing.’ He added that Austin-based pilots and cabin crew “are no longer going to have to commute to work or commute home after they’ve flown a trip.”
In addition to benefiting Southwest Airlines’ existing employees in Austin, FOX 7 Austin notes that the new crew base will also create more than 2,000 jobs. While pilots and cabin crew will dominate this roster, management and support roles are also expected to be created, with an impressive average salary of $180,000.
Will Austin–Bergstrom’s Expansion Be Enough To Accommodate Its Rapid Growth?
Air travel demand is softening, but Austin-Bergstrom will be ready when consumers are ready to return to the skies.
Examining Southwest’s Huge Presence In Austin
Even before the opening of its new crew base in Austin, Southwest Airlines already had a huge presence in the Texan city. Indeed, according to scheduling data made available by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, the carrier scheduled a whopping total of 3,497 one-way departures from Austin this March, working out at an average of around 113 a day. Its top aircraft type in Austin is the Boeing 737 MAX 8, with 1,384 departures.
The short-fuselage Boeing 737-800 isn’t far behind, with 1,192 departures, while the best-selling 737-800 accounts for 921 flights. Southwest’s longest route from Austin this month serves Puerto Rico’s San Juan (SJU), some 2,145 miles (3,452 km) away, while its shortest is the 148-mile (238 km) hop to Houston Hobby (HOU). In terms of frequency, Denver International Airport (DEN) comes out on top, with 211 scheduled departures this month.
