Austin-Bergstrom International Airport plans to levy new landing, fuel, and surge fees on general aviation aircraft beginning in October, according to correspondences between airport managers and city officials. Under the recommended changes, aircraft with maximum landing weight (MLW) under 12,500 pounds could on occasion pay $150 to use KAUS runways.
The new fees originate from a 2025 Austin City Council resolution that directed stakeholders to “explore and evaluate the feasibility” of tiered GA landing fees; increased fuel flowage fees and hangar rental rates; and surge pricing for tie-downs, ramp usage, and landing fees during “high-traffic events” such as football games, NASCAR races, or festivals.
The Austin Current reported that the fees are expected to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in new airport revenue. Austin-Bergstrom is undergoing a multibillion-dollar expansion and renovation. Over the next decade, the project seeks to add 32 new gates, an arrivals and departures hall, and thousands of square feet of concourse and other space while expanding ramp operations.
According to the airport, its net revenues will cover 22 percent of the project’s funding, with the majority covered by revenue bonds.
The new fees could take effect by October 1, according to a memo obtained by the Current and dated March 11. The digital news outlet quoted Vanessa Fuentes, the city council member who authored the 2025 resolution, as saying users of private jets should “pay their fair share.” However, the recommended charges would also cover light GA aircraft.
Tom Chandler, a regional manager for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), told the Current that new fees could negatively impact the “vast majority” of its members who pay them out of pocket, including flight students.
What GA Pilots Need to Know
The Current reported on recommended fees contained in the March 11 memo. A more recent correspondence dated June 12 contains slightly different recommendations.
The memo was sent by the CEO of Austin Aviation—which manages operations, development, industry relationships, finances, and external affairs for KAUS—to the city council and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. Austin Aviation said the changes it recommended would keep the airport “competitive among Texas airports, while still generating new airport revenue.”
Per the memo, the new GA landing fees were derived from “benchmarking of other airports of similar size” in Texas. For aircraft with MLW greater than 12,500 pounds and owned by entities that are not part of the airport’s Airline Use and Lease Agreement (AULA), the fee would be the same as the non-signatory landing fee. That charge is calculated annually.
Aircraft with MLW of 12,500 pounds or less would be charged a flat $50 fee, which Austin Aviation said is similar to other airports but could also be adjusted annually.
It said the fees are intended to “more justly balance usage costs between commercial and non-commercial users” and will be communicated with FBOs and other tenants before taking effect. They could also impact non-wealthy airport users.
“To get a private pilot’s license, you’ve got to have 10 takeoffs and landings at a controlled airport,” Chandler told the Current. “Bam. There’s $500 at $50 a piece.”
As outlined in the June memo, fuel flowage fees would initially rise from 10 cents to 12 cents per gallon. They would then increase by 2 cents annually for five years up to 20 cents per gallon.
Austin Aviation said both the fuel flowage and GA landing fees would “exclusively support” maintenance and capital improvements for the airport’s runway and taxiway system.
On top of the landing fees, GA airport users would face a $100 flat fee during “special events.” That means owners of small GA airplanes with MLW of 12,500 pounds or lower could pay up to $150 to land.
Austin Aviation also recommended adjusting T-hangar rental rates by 5 percent annually over the next three years, more than what it suggested in March.