Airports to Use for Austin City Limits Festival

Austin is the capital of Texas, so although it’s not the state’s biggest city it’s still a safe bet to assume that Austin has its own airport. (You’re right, it does.) But that doesn’t mean you only have one option when you’re making travel plans for the Austin City Limits Festival. In fact, if you’re hunting for the cheapest airfare out there, it’s a good idea to look at all airports within a reasonable drive of Austin.

Of course, what constitutes a “reasonable” drive will be different for each traveler, but when you consider that there are three major cities within a 3-hour drive of Austin and those cities may offer a significant savings on your airline ticket, then the drive might start to look like a really good option. Bring (or pick up) some friends and make a road trip out of it.

When considering flying into a different airport than Austin’s airport, the main thing you want to take into account is whether you’ll cancel out all the savings from your airfare by renting a car and paying for gas (which is another reason bringing friends helps). And if it turns out that flying anywhere but Austin is just too much of a hassle, be sure to read about how to find cheap airfare to Austin City Limits Festival to avoid paying full price on your ticket.

>> Austin City Limits Festival is from October 8-10, 2010

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Austin’s airport is the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is only five miles from central Austin, making it not only convenient to the city but convenient for anyone flying in for the festival, too. It’s a relatively small airport, but it does have regular service from a few budget airlines – including Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country, and US Airways.

>> Find cheap flights to Austin

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Dallas’ massive Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is Texas’ busiest airport and one of the busiest in the world, so it’s not hard to find flight in and out of DFW. It’s American Airlines‘ largest hub, but you’ll also find flights to Dallas on budget airlines like AirTran, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Sun Country, and US Airways.

>> Find cheap flights to Dallas

Dallas Love Field

The smaller Dallas Love Field (DAL) also serves the city of Dallas, and although the list of airlines flying into Love Field is much more limited it does include the budget airline giant Southwest Airlines.

>> Find cheap flights to Dallas

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is second only to DFW in Texas in terms of both size and how busy it gets, so it’s another good option if you’re looking for selection when it comes to flight schedules. Some of the discount airlines serving Bush Intercontinental are Air Canada Jazz, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and US Airways.

>> Find cheap airfare to Houston

William P. Hobby Airport

Like Dallas, Houston has a smaller airport in addition to its huge one – in Houston, it’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). Hobby Airport is located closer to the city of Houston than Bush Intercontinental is, and it’s served by discount airlines AirTran Airways, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines.

>> Find cheap airfare to Houston

San Antonio International Airport

The San Antonio International Airport (SAT) pales in comparison to the huge airports in Dallas and Houston, but depending on where you’re coming from it may present the best options for you. Some of the discount airlines that fly into San Antonio are AirTran, American Eagle, Frontier, Southwest, and US Airways.

>> Find cheap airfare to San Antonio

photo by jabzoog