San Antonio International Airport was founded in 1941 when the City of San Antonio purchased 1,200 acres (490 ha) of undeveloped land that was then north of the city limits (now part of the city's Uptown District) for a project to be called "San Antonio Municipal Airport." World War II wartime needs meant the airport was not fully finished till after the war.
A large portion of the northeast section of the airport was pressed into federal government service. This area was known as Alamo Field and was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a training base.[5]
The 77th Reconnaissance Group, equipped with various aircraft (P-39, P-40, A-20, B-25, O-47, O-52, and L-5) trained reconnaissance personnel who later served overseas. One squadron (113th) flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico.[6]
The first airline to serve the airport was Braniff Airlines in 1943, followed by American Airlines the following year.
In 1944 the airports name was changed from San Antonio Municipal Airport to the current name of San Antonio International Airport.
At the end of World War II the Alamo Field portion of the airport was no longer needed by the military and was turned over to the City of San Antonio for civil use.
Terminal 2 was built in 1951–53, along with the FAA control tower and a baggage claim area. For HemisFair '68, a new satellite concourse was built, containing eight jet bridge gates and passenger waiting areas.
In June 1971 the airport was one of three original destinations along with Dallas and Houston for new startup Southwest Airlines.
Expansion for a growing city
In 1975 the city adopted its first Airport Master Plan with plans for a new 1,300 space parking garage and a new 360,000 sq ft (33,000 m2) Terminal (formerly called Terminal 1, now called Terminal A). Once the new terminal was completed in 1984 it brought the airport's capacity up from eight gates to 27 gates. In 1986 a new 221-foot (67 m) FAA air traffic control tower was built at a new location.
In 1994 a second Airport Master Plan was developed that would take the airport into the 21st century. This plan included major updates for the airport: more parking spaces in a 3,000 space parking garage to be completed by 2007, improved airport access and an improved concession program. Two new terminals were planned to replace Terminal 2, to increase the airports gate count to 35.[7]
San Antonio boarded over 3.5 million passenger in 1999. Since 1966, the airport has boarded more than 80 million people.
Recent history
From February to September 2006, the airport was a focus city for United Airlines (the airline called it a "hublet") with flights to 12 cities in conjunction with partner Trans States Airlines. Trans States Airlines redeployed its aircraft elsewhere, eliminating service to seven cities.
Mexicana celebrated 50 years serving the airport in September 2007, but suspended service to San Antonio in August 2010 when the airline went bankrupt and suspended operations.
From April 2007 to September 2008 ExpressJet operated a focus city under its own branded operations at the airport. Many of the cities served were ones previously operated during the United Airlines focus city the previous year. All service ended when ExpressJet folded its branded operations.
On November 9, 2010, the original Terminal 2 closed, and Terminal B opened. Terminal 1 was then renamed Terminal A. The removal of fixtures in the old Terminal 2 began in January 2011. Final demolition of Terminal 2 was in May 2011.
In 2013, the SAT Customs and Border Protection became a Global Entry enrollment center.
In June 2015, officials announced that the three-story short-term parking garage, which was over 30 years old, would be closed and demolished to make way for a new seven-story parking garage and Consolidated Rental Car Center. Work began in early 2017 on the 1.8 million square feet facility, which was planned to house up to 14 rental car brands and short-term public parking. The public parking portion was completed in April 2017, and the rental car portion opened in January 2018.[8] The airport will receive its first nonstop flight to Europe in May 2024. German airline Condor will launch seasonal service to Frankfurt.[9]
Facilities
Terminals
Terminal A ticket counters
San Antonio International Airport has two terminals with an overall 27 jet bridge gates. The original one-level terminal (formerly Terminal 2) opened in 1953 with ground-loading holding areas and was expanded twice, once in 1959 with new east and west wings, and again in 1968 with an eight-gate satellite concourse, which was built to handle visitors to HemisFair '68. Terminal 2 closed on November 9, 2010, as the new Terminal B opened, and Terminal 2 began to be demolished in March 2011, with completion in January 2012. A second terminal (now Terminal A) opened in 1984 with a 16-gate concourse. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility is located in Terminal A.
Terminal A is the larger of the two concourses, with 17 gates in total. All international carriers operate out of Terminal A. On June 18, 2014, a $35.6 million renovation was completed for this terminal, with the most visible improvements to passengers being new terrazzo floors, updated food courts, and new signage. On October 15, 2014, all gates in Terminal A were renumbered in sequential order.[10] 12 of the current 14 airlines serving the airport operate from Terminal A. Including the Airports largest airline by passengers and routes served Southwest Airlines.
Terminal B opened in November 2010, containing eight gates. Corgan Associates, Inc. and 3D/International designed the new terminal.[11] American and Continental were the two original airlines at Terminal B. United, at the time located in Terminal A, moved into Terminal B on August 1, 2012, during the merger with Continental. A United Club is located between gates B3 and B5. The USO is located on the arrivals level of Terminal B next to baggage claim. In 2022 construction began to add two more gates to Terminal B in order to better accommodate increasing passenger numbers. Construction was completed in January 2023, bringing the total gates for Terminal B to ten.[12]
Future Plans
Beginning in 2023 with a scheduled completion in 2028, the airport will complete a new terminal, renovate the existing Terminal A, and upgrade the airfield and roadways to accommodate the projected growth and needs of passengers. The new terminal, replacing Terminal B, will feature up to 17 domestic and international gates, new concession space, a club lounge, and a modern federal inspection station for expanded international air service. Terminal A will be renovated with state-of-the-art systems and a wider concourse. The airport will have a central passenger screening area connecting the new terminal and Terminal A. The new roadways will improve traffic flow and remove congestion.[13][14]
Annual international passenger traffic at SAT 2010–2022[37]
Year
Passengers
Year
Passengers
2010
136,970
2020
207,684
2011
182,031
2021
741,572
2012
421,718
2022
555,808
2013
474,609
2023
621,321
2014
464,765
2024
2015
511,492
2025
2016
400,061
2026
2017
368,381
2027
2018
415,101
2028
2019
467,475
2029
Ground transportation
The airport has a 1.8 million square foot consolidated rental car facility completed in January 2018. The facility is reached via a sky bridge from the mezzanine level of Terminal B.
The airport is located near the intersection of Interstate 410 and U.S. 281 in north central San Antonio. U.S. 281 provides quick drives (under 15 minutes in normal traffic) to downtown or northern San Antonio. Interstate 410, a loop, makes the rest of the city easily accessible.
ST Engineering maintains a large presence at the airport knows as SAA (San Antonio Aerospace) employing around 1,000 staff. The facilities were previously owned by Dee Howard Aircraft Maintenance and were purchased during the company's bankruptcy in 2002. The facility provides heavy maintenance and other services for numerous passenger and cargo airlines along with aircraft leasing operations. The most recent addition being a passenger to cargo conversion line for Airbus A320 series family.
Accidents and incidents
On January 31, 1967, a Saturn AirwaysDC-6 was operating on a cargo flight to Kelly AFB. The crew decided to divert to San Antonio International Airport and commenced the approach. The airplane descended 1,100 feet (340 m) below the glide slope, flew through trees and collided with a cliff. All three occupants were killed.[39]
On October 29, 2012, Interjet Flight 2953, scheduled to Mexico City International Airport, made an emergency landing at San Antonio after suffering engine sputtering problems that were caused by a bird strike. No injuries or fatalities were reported.[40]
On December 1, 2019, a Piper PA-24 Comanche en route to Boerne from Sugar Land crashed in a neighborhood while attempting an emergency landing at the airport. While there were no injuries on the ground, the three occupants of the aircraft were killed.[42][43]
^A History of Military Aviation in San Antonio. U.S. Department of Defense. 2000. p. 113. Alamo Field (today known as San Antonio International Airport). Used as an auxiliary field of Dyess Army Air Field and Brooks Field from 1942 until 1945.
