San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is a mid-sized airport in Texas, USA.
The airport sits about 8 miles (~13 km) north of downtown San Antonio, covering an area of more than 2300 acres with three runways. The airport currently has two active passenger terminals (A and B) and is in the middle of a major expansion that will add a large new Terminal C.
In 2024, SAT handled just over 11 million passengers, making it the 6th busiest airport in Texas after Dallas’s two airports (DFW and DAL), Houston’s two airports (IAH and HOU), and Austin (AUS). San Antonio Airport is among the 50 busiest airports in the USA.
Major Airlines - Southwest Airlines, American Airlines
Southwest Airlines is the airport’s largest carrier by market share (roughly 36% of all passengers fly Southwest), followed by American (~20%), Delta (~16%), and United (14%).
These airlines, America’s largest, offer hundreds of flights every month to their respective hubs across the nation. Top destinations include Dallas/Fort Worth (by American Airlines), Atlanta (by Southwest and Delta), Denver (by Southwest and United), and Phoenix (by American and Southwest.
Alaska Airlines also has a presence at San Antonio with its daily service to Seattle/Tacoma (SEA).
American low-cost carriers at SAT include Spirit (around 12 destinations) and Frontier (around 5 destinations).
Several Mexican carriers also serve San Antonio - Volaris, VivaAerobus, and Aeroméxico. They provide flights to several Mexican cities, including the capital, Mexico City, and the second-largest city, Monterrey.
Click here to see a list of all airlines at SAT.
Terminal Layout and Gates of SAT
San Antonio Airport currently has two operational terminals: Terminal A and Terminal B, which together comprise a total of 25 gates.
Terminal A: The larger terminal. It handles all international carriers, all international flights, and the majority of airlines.
Terminal B: The newer but smaller terminal. It has had 10 gates ever since the construction of two additional gates in 2023. The main airline using Terminal B is United.
The 2 terminals are within the same building, so you can freely walk between them on the ticketing and arrivals levels. Each concourse has a security checkpoint at its entrance, so movement between concourses is not possible once you are airside.
San Antonio has broken ground on Terminal C - a facility that will add up to 17 new gates and a centralized screening checkpoint. Terminal C is expected to be ready by 2028. The existing Terminal A is slated for renovation as part of the program.
Connecting Flights and Transit
San Antonio Airport is not a hub airport, and not many have layovers there. The few that happen are generally straightforward for same-terminal connections, though moving between Terminals A and B requires exiting, re-entering, and re-clearing Security.
Few of the flights are international compared with large gateway hubs, so the vast majority of transfers are between two domestic flights within the USA.
In such a case, transferring between flights is very simple, especially if you get off the plane straight into the departure gate area. There is no security check. Those flying with United for one of the flights but with another airline for the other, will have to change terminals and re-clear Security.
International arrivals at SAT are processed at the airport. You have to go through Immigration, collect your luggage, and check it in again, even if flying with the same airline.
The recommended connection time is 1 hour between domestic or 1.5 hours between international and domestic flights.
All TSA Checkpoints open at 3:30 am.
A longer layover may give you enough time to go to San Antonio and check out some of the best things to do there.
Free WiFi at San Antonio Airport
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminals and all public areas of the airport. The SSID of the network is “SAT Free WiFi”. Connecting may require that you register and/or watch a short ad.
Some of the restaurants and the lounges at the airport offer separate wi-fi networks for paying customers.
Dining Options at SAT
Both terminals have a mix of national and local concessions, including coffee shops, grab-and-go, burgers/fast casual, and sit-down restaurants.
Travelers’ favorites in Terminal A include:
La Fruteria: Light dishes and freshly squeezed juices.
Boss Bagels: Bagels inspired by the way they are made in New York and Montreal.
SIP Brew Bar & Market: A charming café before security serving pastries, pizzas, and sandwiches.
BeerCode Kitchen & Bar: Offers a relaxed atmosphere and a wide menu.
Super Bien Mex Cocina: Serves Tex-Mex favorites like breakfast tacos and taco bowls, as well as Mexican beers and cocktails.
Terminal B is smaller, and the choice of dining establishments is smaller, too. Options include:
Charley's Philly Steaks: A name that precedes itself. Offers a vast selection of cheesesteaks and drinks.
Sbarro: Offers New York handmade pizzas.
Alamo Alehouse Gourmet Burgers Bar: Casual comfort food and beer.
Pronto! Express: For those in a hurry, this grab-and-go marketplace offers locally sourced foods.
Also in San Antonio Airport, you will find Starbucks, Dunkin’, Auntie Anne’s, and several vending machines.
Lounges
SAT’s public lounge offering is limited compared with larger hubs, as it has just 2 lounges, only 1 of which is accessible to the general public.
There is a United Club in Terminal B, for which airline access rules apply. It’s located between gates B3 and B5 and is open from 4:30 AM to 6:30 PM (5:15 PM on Saturdays). A day pass, for those who are not eligible to enter for free, costs $59. This lounge does not accept Priority Pass.
There is also a USO center, again in Terminal B, which welcomes active military members and their families. It is situated near the baggage reclaim, landside, and remains open between 9 AM and 5 PM daily.
Transport to and from the airport
San Antonio Airport is accessible by easy highway links to the city, namely the I-410 and US-281.
There is currently no regional rail or metro directly to the terminals, but two bus routes by the VIA Metropolitan Transit serve SAT:
Route 5: Runs to downtown San Antonio via the North Star Transit Center every 20 minutes on weekdays and every hour on weekends. A single ticket costs just $1.30.
Route 7: Goes to the Stone Oak Park & Ride garage at 22139 US-281 every 30 minutes only on weekdays, between 5:45 AM and 7 PM. The bus fare is $2.60.
You can also purchase a day pass on the bus or online beforehand for $2.75, good for unlimited rides on all buses in San Antonio.
The airport has also planned a larger Ground Transportation Center and roadway improvements as part of the expansion program.
Taxis are available outside of Arrivals at Terminal A. Fares are metered. Including all surcharges, a trip to downtown San Antonio costs around $25.
The ride-sharing companies approved to operate at the airport are Uber, Lyft, Turo, Wingz, and Wridz. The pick-up location for ride-sharing is on the outer commercial curbside on the lower level of Terminal A.
Lastly, a private transfer may be a smart choice, especially if you have a final destination outside of the city. Check info and prices about private transfers from SAT here.
Parking at San Antonio Airport
SAT offers a Short-Term Garage adjacent to the Terminal, a Long-Term Garage, and Economy (Red & Green) lots served by shuttle.
The Short-Term Garage is just 3 minutes from the ticketing area of the airport. Parking there is free for the first 15 minutes, costs $5.00 for the first hour, and is charged $2.00 per 30 minutes up to a daily maximum (longer than 4 hours) of $29.00.
The Long-Term Garage offers both covered and uncovered parking, about 5 minutes from the Terminal building. Charges are per day - a maximum of $16.00 or less if pre-booked in advance.
The Green & Red Economy Lots are the lowest-cost options and are located about half a mile from the Terminal. They also offer a free shuttle service to and from the terminal curbside. Parking here costs $10 per day or less if you pre-book online in advance.
There is also a free Cell-Phone Waiting Lot available for those waiting to pick up arriving passengers. It is situated a block off 410/Airport Blvd and offers free wi-fi.
Lastly, the Fly Away Valet is the premium option for those who want to leave their car closest to the terminal. The service includes secured and covered storage of vehicles. You just need to pull up at Level 0 of the Short-Term Garage. This parking option costs $33.00 per day with the option to pre-book.
The airport also offers EV charging infrastructure in all parking areas.
Hotels near San Antonio Airport
Several airport-area hotels offer shuttle service and are within a few minutes’ drive.
Many of those properties are located along the I-410, less than 1.5 miles from the airport, and offer a complimentary shuttle service.
Brand options include nearby hotels such as Courtyard San Antonio Airport, Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Airport, Hampton Inn and Suites San Antonio Airport, and Holiday Inn Express San Antonio-Airport, all 3-star properties.
These are the most convenient choices for early flights or overnighting near SAT.
To see more hotels near San Antonio Airport and what they offer in terms of amenities, click here.
San Antonio, TX, USA
