Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) is now a diversion for American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta, explained AGS assistant PR director Lauren Smith to the Augusta Aviation Commission during its meeting, Thursday morning.
AGS is now able to accommodate up to 15 or 16 aircraft that may need to land somewhere other than their planned destinations. Smith also said that the airport’s planning staff has been conferring with TSA to keep it up to date on its extension project, and is negotiating a request for a second screening lane, as one was approved last year, and additional baggage screening equipment.
Staff also discussed the potential need for further terminal development to accommodate growing Masters traffic, and the possible addition of more airlines. The airport will offer 15 direct flights for Delta Airlines for the 2026 Masters Week.
“Delta has that strong connection with [Augusta] National so they’re continuing to grow their direct flights for the week,” Smith said.
During the preceding Masters Committee meeting, Director of Aviation Services Kenneth Hinkle told the committee that AGS broke operations records during Masters week, this year.
“Friday was probably by far the best in the last, say, six years’ operations,” Hinkle said, noting that the airport had to stop accepting aircraft at 5 or 6 p.m., that Friday evening. He also noted that AGS collected some 1 million gallons of jet fuel over the month of April, and that he looks forward to a similar outcome during the Masters, next year, with Delta’s additional flights.
To maintain operations quality, Hinkle said that aircraft should have two refueler trucks and two linemen each attending them during Masters Week to accommodate the increased volume.
“If something happens, something goes wrong, it’s like a domino effect,” he said. “If they bring in an airplane that has not gaged, it’s going to take a long time to do it, this is going to delay the next flight. And so again, our goal going into Masters is always to keep airlines on time.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
