San Antonio International Airport News & Updates

[texboy]

Originally Posted by cole world11

I get that Spirit is in trim mode currently but I’m also wondering how load factors were to SJU. Frontier or Southwest (assuming their beef with SAT is squashed) can pick it back up, if it makes sense.

Thanks for the update!

Latest update on that is that the FAA was supposed to make a decision on Southwest's last ditch request to have the FAA reprimand the airport in some way back in October. The FAA pushed that timeline back to December (not sure if that includes a delay for the shutdown). Southwest's request to have funds withheld from the terminal project or for the FAA to step in and decide on gate assignments is not likely to happen considering the courts already sided in favor of the airport on the gate assignment matter and an unusually bipartisan group of law makers lobbied for the funds to construct the new terminal.


SJU was a nice "get", but I would bet load factors were light. That to me is destination that (as least in the SAT market) would need to have connecting flights feeding into it to be successful on Spirit. I could see that route being mildly successful on an airline that has RJ's, 175's, or 220's 2 to 3 times a week.

[El Santo]

Did anybody catch this image on the San Antonio Business Journal? Are there renderings for Terminal A?
https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/n...he-airport-2025-event-18th-new-gate.html

The image caption said it was Terminal A.

[babysal]

That was an error on the Business Journal's part. That image is of the new ground load gates currently wrapping up construction.

[vivazap01]

Originally Posted by cole world11

I get that Spirit is in trim mode currently but I’m also wondering how load factors were to SJU. Frontier or Southwest (assuming their beef with SAT is squashed) can pick it back up, if it makes sense.

Thanks for the update!

Spirit flights today 12-12-25:
NKS557 A321 San Antonio to San Juan SOLD OUT
NKS2855 A320 San Antonio to Los Angeles SOLD OUT
NKS2411 A320 San Antonio to Las Vegas SOLD OUT
These three destination have always had good loads.

[JRG1974]

Originally Posted by babysal

That was an error on the Business Journal's part. That image is of the new ground load gates currently wrapping up construction.

Business Journal has been doing a bad job with pictures lately. They had an article about paid parking at La Cantera, but the picture was from the The Rim.

[cole world11]

Originally Posted by texboy

Latest update on that is that the FAA was supposed to make a decision on Southwest's last ditch request to have the FAA reprimand the airport in some way back in October. The FAA pushed that timeline back to December (not sure if that includes a delay for the shutdown). Southwest's request to have funds withheld from the terminal project or for the FAA to step in and decide on gate assignments is not likely to happen considering the courts already sided in favor of the airport on the gate assignment matter and an unusually bipartisan group of law makers lobbied for the funds to construct the new terminal.


SJU was a nice "get", but I would bet load factors were light. That to me is destination that (as least in the SAT market) would need to have connecting flights feeding into it to be successful on Spirit. I could see that route being mildly successful on an airline that has RJ's, 175's, or 220's 2 to 3 times a week.

Thanks for the update. Southwest is climbing a steep hill it sounds like.

[cole world11]

Originally Posted by vivazap01

Spirit flights today 12-12-25:
NKS557 A321 San Antonio to San Juan SOLD OUT
NKS2855 A320 San Antonio to Los Angeles SOLD OUT
NKS2411 A320 San Antonio to Las Vegas SOLD OUT
These three destination have always had good loads.

Nice work! If load factors were consistently this good, hopefully someone noticed and does swoop in on that SJU route

[JACKinBeantown]

All these flight stats are neat (I can geek out on stats with the best of 'em), but I'm really looking forward to a recent photo of the new terminal under construction.

[JACKinBeantown]

Apparently there was some kind of emergency on a United flight at SAT this morning. I hope everyone is OK. The good news is that it did allow for some halfway decent shots of airport construction.

Start at 1:00:00.

https://www.youtube.com/live/5Its-uSYQxs?si=efqc1P660WUVw2rm&t=3593

• Video Link

[texboy]

Terminal A and B Rehab SAT


Not sure how I missed this, but Terminal A and B rehab document from April has been hanging out on the SAT website since April. Essentially killing 6 gates (7 if you count the one on the very end) on A to right size for Southwest (assuming all of that gets cleared up) so that its not so cramped and can add additional space for concessions and additional security (A's security already moves screaming fast IMO). With the 3 ground load gates (eventual build out will be 5), and the reduction on B back to 8 gates, the airport will have a grand total of 39 gates with capability to expand to 41. This means the airport could pretty well manage 15MM - 20MM passengers down the road.

[JACKinBeantown]

^^ Those plans make a lot of sense. Thanks for posting the link.

[vivazap01]

Paris Le Bourget to San Antonio:
WWI70 GLEX LFPB-KSAT 10h+30m 5,175mi
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/WWI70/history/20251222/1700Z/LFPB/KSAT
Photo:
https://www.planespotters.net/photo/1495503/n70ps-private-bombardier-global-express-bd-700-1a10

Happy Holidays!

[Spoiler]

Originally Posted by vivazap01

Paris Le Bourget to San Antonio:
WWI70 GLEX LFPB-KSAT 10h+30m 5,175mi
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/WWI70/history/20251222/1700Z/LFPB/KSAT
Photo:
https://www.planespotters.net/photo/1495503/n70ps-private-bombardier-global-express-bd-700-1a10

Happy Holidays!

Wembynomics!

[texboy]

San Antonio Airport will be getting another $300,000 in expansion elements after City Council vote

In addition to an extra 10,000 square feet for Delta's airport lounge and the additional gate, the airport will also be adding a pedestrian connector from Terminal C to the new parking garage, as well as bridge work on the intersection of Dee Howard and Aviation Blvd.

Delta adding additional lounge space and they are the airline that requested the additional gate... very nice! Maybe SAT will see a flight to Seattle and some of their focus cities with this expansion.

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by texboy

San Antonio Airport will be getting another $300,000 in expansion elements after City Council vote




Delta adding additional lounge space and they are the airline that requested the additional gate... very nice! Maybe SAT will see a flight to Seattle and some of their focus cities with this expansion.

I was wondering if the Southwest Austin announcement might encourage Delta to focus a bit more on SA

[Runner]

Originally Posted by texboy

San Antonio Airport will be getting another $300,000 in expansion elements after City Council vote




Delta adding additional lounge space and they are the airline that requested the additional gate... very nice! Maybe SAT will see a flight to Seattle and some of their focus cities with this expansion.

And maybe a nonstop to Portland Oregon!

[texastarkus]

Originally Posted by texboy

San Antonio Airport will be getting another $300,000 in expansion elements after City Council vote




Delta adding additional lounge space and they are the airline that requested the additional gate... very nice! Maybe SAT will see a flight to Seattle and some of their focus cities with this expansion.

Don't expect to see much of a Delta expansion here but United is setting pretty to re-create their regional jet hub-let of 2006. Houston IAH is overcrowded, changing planes there is a nightmare and the time might be right. My only concern is the hard line our airport folks took with Southwest over the gate fiasco - lawsuit. Airlines are looking for partners to work with not against. We all saw the very public presser with the Governor and Southwest CEO. Feel free to read into that announcement what you wish. All I see is it (the operating base) didn't come here.

[vivazap01]

Originally Posted by texastarkus

Don't expect to see much of a Delta expansion here but United is setting pretty to re-create their regional jet hub-let of 2006. Houston IAH is overcrowded, changing planes there is a nightmare and the time might be right. My only concern is the hard line our airport folks took with Southwest over the gate fiasco - lawsuit. Airlines are looking for partners to work with not against. We all saw the very public presser with the Governor and Southwest CEO. Feel free to read into that announcement what you wish. All I see is it (the operating base) didn't come here.

https://www.departedflights.com/XJsummer2007.html

[vivazap01]

Originally Posted by Runner

And maybe a nonstop to Portland Oregon!

Airline geeks are saying PDX-SAT and RDU-SAT should be the next
routes announced from their airports.

[texboy]

Originally Posted by vivazap01

Airline geeks are saying PDX-SAT and RDU-SAT should be the next
routes announced from their airports.

Have a link?