San Antonio Airport (SAT) Flights & Information

Many people may not realize that San Antonio is one of the most populous cities in the United States, and its airport (SAT) has a surprising number of flights, even though it is not a major airline hub. The airport has added more international service as well as new amenities to serve travelers visiting this historic city. Whether you are coming for its many festivals, to explore the Alamo, to see friends or for a business event, San Antonio Airport is modern and convenient. Flying from a mid-sized airport is a relief when compared to larger hubs, and you will quickly discover why.

Airlines and destinations

All of the major U.S. airlines fly here with most connecting passengers to other cities via their domestic hubs from SAT. This makes it easy to connect from this major Texas city to many other places around the world.

More excitingly, the airport has been adding numerous point-to-point routes that help travelers avoid intermediate hubs and reach their destinations nonstop. Low-fare airlines like Frontier and Allegiant are partially responsible for this effort.

Southwest also operates a significant operation here with destinations going beyond their traditional hubs to include Burbank, El Paso, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Orlando, San Diego and Tampa.

But, it is the airport’s first regularly scheduled transatlantic flight to Frankfurt via Condor Airlines that has locals truly energized. This makes it easier to reach Europe, but also exposes more European tourists to vibrant San Antonio.

Aeromexico flies to its hub in Mexico City while low-cost Mexican airlines Viva Aerobus and Volaris fly to several cities in Mexico. Southwest and Sun Country also have seasonal flights to Cancun.

Despite all of these new flights, the top destinations from SAT are to major U.S. airline hubs like Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta and Denver.

Airport terminal and layout

The terminal is designed with one central ticketing and public area where travelers check in for flights and can explore some of the landside amenities. Then, passengers pass through security to reach each of two smaller concourses, known as Terminals A and B.

This means that once past security, you can only shop or dine within that concourse without having to exit and reclear security again to visit the other concourse. While the dining options between them are diverse, there really is no reason to visit both.

Terminal A serves all airlines at the airport with the exception of American and Southwest, which are two of the busiest at SAT and use Terminal B.

For an airport the size of SAT, it is nice to find a United Club here. It is not enormous, but it does the trick with some light snacks and an open bar. Only a few seats face the windows, but the rest look towards the wall (at least, there are ample power outlets).

I really wish there were a Priority Pass or independent airport lounge option here, but at least you can buy a one-time access pass to the United Club.

Tasty dining at SAT

The airport has plenty of standard souvenir shops and chain venues, but there are a few that are worth a visit. My preferred options include the popular barbecue dishes from breakfast to dinner at Smoke Shack in Terminal A.

Besides the breakfast tacos at Smoke Shack, I like the coffee from Merit Roasting Company at Merit Coffee (Starbucks is also an option if you prefer). Pair it with a fresh pastry if you like, but I’d prefer my calories to come from Smoke Shack’s brisket.

I recommend the Frito pie, which has smoked brisket piled high above this not-so-healthy crunchy American snack with all the toppings. There’s also a brisket grilled cheese that is not to miss, but also very filling.

Another favorite is Rosario’s Mexican Cafe y Cantina when flying from Terminal B. Here, you cannot go wrong with the fresh burritos and salads.

From coffee and beauty products to licorice and electronics, the airport is filled with vending machines that can customize and dispense products at a whim without having to wait in line. I like this approach to reducing lines at airports, and there is no need to tip for only basic services.

To-go cocktails have now landed at San Antonio’s airport. This means you can bring your drink (like a margarita from the famous La Gloria restaurant), local craft beer or wine with you to the gate. Don’t get too excited though: you have to finish it before boarding.

Major expansion plans for the airport

New roadways will redesign the arrival path to the airport to reduce traffic congestion, and this will lead to a new terminal that should open by 2028. By that point, Terminal A will also have received a thorough remodel to make it look more like the other terminals.

The new Terminal C will be an ambitious project featuring more than a dozen new gates, many with direct access to immigration and customs facilities. Several of them will be equipped for widebody aircraft, and the overall footprint will nearly double the existing concourse footprint.

Hopes for the new terminal will bring more lounge and retail space, additional restaurants and eventually new flights to the region. In an effort to court more low-cost airlines, the airport will add a ground-level boarding area. Typically, these low-fare airlines do not like paying airports for jet bridge access.

How to get to SAT

While there are ample rideshare, taxi and limo services available to the airport, the airport has done a lot to make it easier to drive to the airport. The new seven-story parking garage helped provide more space for travelers to park (including electric car charging), but I find that the economy lots with shuttle service are a better value when taking longer trips.

Rideshare services pick up on the lower level of Terminal A. Hotel shuttles pick up outside of either baggage claim area. VIA Metropolitan Transit bus services stop at the arrivals area of the airport across the road. It reaches all the way to downtown, but makes numerous stops along the way.

It takes about a half hour to get downtown using Route 5. Once downtown, several routes run to other areas of town, but I would simply take a rideshare app service once you completed the longer distance portion of the ride for convenience.

If you choose to drive yourself, the ride only takes about 15 minutes to reach downtown hotels given the excellent highway network that surrounds the airport.

Another tip is to park at Stone Oak Park & Ride, and take a cheap bus ride to the airport to save additional cash rather than parking directly at the airport’s own lots.

The airport has consolidated all of the car rental companies into one place, which means the reservation counters are there. And then you can easily walk to your car and drive off. To get there, take the sky bridge from Terminal B’s mezzanine level.

Coming soon is a new ground transportation center that will consolidate many of the shuttle, rideshare and parking options while also adding more parking spaces for travelers.

Airport hotels

There are numerous hotels with free shuttles to the airport (none is within walking distance), but my hands-down favorite is the Embassy Suites by Hilton because it is one of the closest and packs in a lot of perks.

It is best known for its complimentary, cooked-to-order breakfast and evening happy hour with free snacks and drinks. Plus, all of the rooms have a separate living room with a small kitchenette and sofa bed.

Art and culture at the runways

A city project to boost public art around San Antonio, including at the airport, continues to grow. Rotating exhibits and displays at the airport cover everything from local photography, sculptures, paintings and posters.

I recommend snapping a photo of the local mural above the rental car counters that details a bit about the rich San Antonio history. Cultural events and live music round out the entertainment options at SAT, much of which highlights the region’s Hispanic culture.

But, my favorite piece of art (and apparently a thought shared by numerous other airline crew and travelers that post images to social media) is the “suitcase wheel,” which is in the arrivals area of the airport. Snap a photo to join the online cadre of SAT art fans.

Other amenities at the airport

A family-friendly play area in Terminal A, near gate A16, features a small playground. Free Wi-Fi, a pet relief area, chapel, water bottle refilling stations and even a dog therapy program to soothe stressed or anxious travelers are all available. In fact, this was the first airport in Texas to offer such a program.

There are nursing mothers’ rooms for parents that need to feed their children to have extra privacy. There is one in each terminal as well as one in the landside ticketing area.