Do you plan to travel internationally out of Austin for the holidays? You might have to wait.
A new study from Upgraded Points, a website focused on advising travelers on points and miles perks, found Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is the third worst airport in the country for international travel during the holiday season.
From the week before Christmas through New Year’s Day 2022, the wait time at Austin-Bergstrom was 29.2 minutes, well above the overall average wait time of 23 minutes at U.S. Customs across the country. The airport ranked 25th in total international travel volume during the same time period.
Only Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Miami International Airport had longer average wait times, according to Upgraded Points. John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, had the best average international wait time at 4.6 minutes.
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How did other Texas airports rank?
Other airports in Texas ranked inside the top 25 for longest international wait times during the 2022 holiday season:
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston ranked 12th with an average wait time of 21.4 minutes.
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport ranked 21st at 18 minutes.
- San Antonio International Airport rounded out the Texas airports on the list at 22nd with an average wait time of 17.8 minutes.
The average wait time at Austin-Bergstrom for U.S. citizens during the 2022 holiday season was nearly 27 minutes, though the average wait time for non-U.S. citizens was over 33 minutes. The average maximum wait time for all travelers during the 2022 holiday season at Austin-Bergstrom was just over 59 minutes.
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When should you expect longer wait times at the airport?
Several factors, including arrival time and citizenship status, affect travelers’ wait times at customers, according to Upgraded Points. Travelers who arrive between 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. experience approximately 20% longer wait times compared to other hours of the day, according to the study.
Upgraded Points used data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to inform its study.
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Which airports have the longest wait times for international travel during the holidays?
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Miami International Airport
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Washington Dulles International Airport
- Ontario International Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
- San Diego International Airport
- Los Angeles International Airport
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