This week marks the beginning of the arrivals of golfers and golf fans, with the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) leading the way. The first practice round is on April second at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Columbia County. The final round is at the Augusta National Golf Club on April fifth.
Leaders at Augusta Regional Airport said they are ready to welcome visitors.
“We’ve had multiple planning meetings. We talk with all of our partners, the TSA, the airlines, the air traffic control, the rental cars. We all have planning meetings, and we vet all the details of Masters,” Herbert Judon, Jr., Executive Director, told ABD. “So, yeah, we’re ready to go. We expect it to be a big one, as always.”
Judon said the Eastern Fixed Base Operation (FBO) will be in use again this year for private pilots. It provides direct access for their passengers and car services with an entrance at 3006 Lock and Dam Ct. Passengers can be picked up and dropped off there rather than being shuttled to the main terminal.
While that will reduce some traffic into and out of the primary areas of the airport, Judon said anyone using the airport should prepare for a much higher level of activity.
“There will be a lot more people in the terminal than normal. The terminal is almost near capacity during Masters Week,” he said. “As far as getting to the airport, we tell everybody kind of to pack their patience. There’ll be a lot of traffic on the curbside, a little more congested in terms of getting into the building.”
Some of that traffic will be connected to additional, direct flights to Augusta that American Airlines and Delta Airlines will be providing. Delta Air Lines will offer direct flights to Atlanta (ATL), New York-LaGuardia (LGA), Detroit (DTW), Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), Boston (BOS), Washington-Reagan (DCA), White Plains (HPN), Austin (AUS), and New York-JFK (JFK). American Airlines will provide direct service to Charlotte (CLT), Washington-Reagan (DCA), Miami (MIA), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), New York-LaGuardia (LGA), Boston (BOS), Austin (AUS), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Philadelphia (PHL), and Phoenix (PHX).
Delta is one of the official sponsors for this year’s tournament. It included its plans in a newsletter distributed to subscribers. (https://news.delta.com/take-tee-delta-elevates-its-game-largest-2025-masters-schedule) It said it would provide up to 1,900 daily seats and a 15% growth in capacity over last year’s service.
“As Delta celebrates its Centennial year, we’re proud to welcome Masters patrons to our home state of Georgia for the iconic Masters Tournament,” the story quotes Joe Esposito, Delta’s Senior Vice President, Network Planning. “With new service from Minneapolis and White Plains, and increased frequency from LaGuardia, we’re making it easier than ever to connect to this world-renowned event.”
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is also taking steps to help visitors traveling local roads and highways. It is suspending construction-related lane closures on Interstate 20 from Covington to Augusta and on I-520/Bobby Jones Expressway. Additionally, lane closures on major state routes leading to Augusta in Burke, Emanuel, Jefferson, Jenkins, and McDuffie Counties will be suspended.
On the ground, Augusta Regional has hired an additional 12 Passenger Assistant Liaisons (PALs) who will be available from 4 a.m. until the last flight of the day.
“They are additional customer service representatives for the airport. They help the passengers with their luggage from the curb to the ticket counter, and then from baggage claim to the curb, as well as wheelchair assistance,” explained Lauren Smith, Assistant Director of Marketing and Public Relations.
Travelers will be welcomed with art and colorful lights and treated to live music in the gate area. The airport is partnering with Destination Augusta to install a kiosk displaying information about activities around Augusta. A particular favorite, airport therapy dogs, will be on hand to soothe nerves.
While additional direct flights are a boon for golf fans, Judon reminds residents that they provide a unique opportunity for local travelers as well.
“I mention it every year, how important it is for the locals also to understand and to partake with these additional flights,” he said. “We’ve got flights going to many different cities that we normally don’t have. So, a great opportunity for the locals to get out of town while everybody else is coming into town.”
Learn more or book a flight at www.FlyAGS.com
