Delta Expands at Austin Airport with 5 New Nonstop Routes

Just months after American Airlines announced cutbacks at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Delta Air Lines is stepping up with a significant expansion at the Texan airport.

In the coming spring, Delta will introduce five new nonstop routes to Panama City (ECP), Indianapolis (IND), Memphis (MEM), San Francisco (SFO), and Tampa (TPA).

Photo: Courtesy of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

With more than 50 daily departures, Delta is poised to become the second-largest carrier at the airport, trailing only Southwest Airlines. Aviation journalist Edward Russell noted, “Delta has been steadily expanding in the thriving Texan capital. In July 2018, the airline operated just 10 nonstop routes to its hubs or other focus cities. Today, it offers nonstop service to 15 cities, with five more routes on the horizon.”

Russell also highlighted the remarkable growth of Delta’s operations in Austin, stating, “In September, Delta operated 77 percent more seats on 94 percent more departures compared to the same month in 2018, according to Cirium Diio schedules. By June next year, Delta’s seat capacity is projected to increase by another 18 percent, with 25 percent more departures,” Russell said.

Panama City Beach, Indianapolis, and Memphis

The first new route to Panama City Beach (ECP) will launch on March 9, 2025, just in time for Spring Break. Outbound flights will depart from Austin at 2:30 PM daily, arriving in Panama City at 4:28 PM. Return flights will depart from Florida at 5:10 PM and land back in Austin at 7:19 PM.

Photo: Panama City Beach, FL. Courtesy of Timothy Dykes / Unsplash

Furthermore, Delta will launch daily flights from Austin to Indianapolis (IND) and Memphis (MEM) on May 7. Flights to IND will depart from Austin at 9:50 AM, landing at 1:30 PM. Return flights will depart at 2:10 PM, arriving back in AUS at 3:55 PM.

Flights to Memphis are scheduled to depart from IND at 7:59 PM, arriving in Memphis at 9:59 PM, before departing from MEM at 7:05 AM the following morning and arriving back in Austin at 9:05 AM.

Photo: Delta, Embraer E175. Courtesy of Delta

All these new routes will be operated by Delta’s partner airline SkyWest, utilizing an Embraer 175 aircraft equipped with three Delta-branded cabins: First Class, Delta Comfort+, and Main Cabin.

San Francisco and Tampa

Delta will launch daily flights to San Francisco (SFO) and Tampa (TPA) on June 8. The new SFO flights are scheduled to take off from Austin at 9:40 AM each day and land in San Francisco at 11:10 AM, with return legs departing SFO at 1:15 PM and arriving back in Austin at 6:30 PM.

Meanwhile, the TPA flights will depart Austin at 7:25 PM each day and arrive in Tampa at 10:59 PM, with return flights leaving Tampa at 7:00 AM each morning and returning to Austin at 8:45 AM.

Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines

Delta will operate these two routes with an Airbus A220-300, which has a total capacity for 130 passengers.

55 Peak Day Departures

“Delta has made its commitment to Austin known, and these new routes and the 55 peak-day departures planned for Summer 2025 reaffirm that,” said Joe Esposito, Senior Vice President of Network Planning at Delta.

“This is on top of the already 20 percent seat capacity increase we put into service in April, connecting Austin to new destinations in major corporate and leisure markets both within Texas and outside the state — onward throughout our global network.”

Photo: Airbus A220-300 cabin. Courtesy of Delta Air Lines

Scott Santoro, Vice President of Sales at Delta, added, “We continue to listen and respond to what Austin needs as it grows, and we have a dedicated corporate sales team at the ready to get all customers to, from and through this crucial tech and business destination.”

Delta’s decision to add more routes from Austin comes just weeks after American Airlines announced it was significantly cutting flights out of the Texan capital.

American Airlines cut four Austin routes from its network in September, not long after another five were axed in July, while it dropped 21 Austin services in 2023.

With American previously serving Panama City, Indianapolis, Memphis, and Tampa from Austin, Delta’s new flights look set to capitalize on American’s absence.