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San Antonio airport lands among worst in U.S. in new study

San Antonio International Airport is among the worst airports in America, according to this study.

San Antonio International Airport/Facebook

Air travel is hard no matter where you live, but for folks flying in and out of San Antonio International Airport, the experience can be that much more difficult. According to a new study released August 1, SAT is the nation's sixth worst airport, getting especially low marks in overall satisfaction, lounge access, and airport public transportation.

To find the best flying experience, travel credit card site Upgraded Points analyzed the biggest 60 airports by volume across the U.S., and scored each using the following categories:

Overall satisfaction scores
Timeliness of flights (flight delays and cancellations)
Ease of access to the city center (public transportation options, transportation costs, and time)
Airport amenities (lounge access and Wi-Fi)

In order to determine the individual ranks of each airport, the study used info from the 2017 JD Power and Associates airport customer satisfaction survey and stats from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, among other data sets.

Each airport was then weighted on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 representing the best possible score. SAT scored well on WiFi (5) and a reasonable 3.5 for average delay/cancel times, but fell to bottom in lounge access (2), and airport public transit (1). All together, the airport scored a 2 for overall satisfaction.

Frequent fliers to SAT are likely unsurprised by the airport's low public transit score. With only a bus system in place, it can be tricky to navigate timing, leading to undue stress before fliers even get in the door.

"Some of the least-efficient options are cities that only have buses that connect to the airport" the study elaborates. "For example, while it only costs a little over a dollar to ride, San Antonio International Airport’s public transit option is 150 percent slower than driving."

Other airports ranking low on the list include John Glenn Columbus International Airport, which took the top spot. It is followed by New York's LaGuardia Airport (No. 2), Omaha's Eppley Airfield (No. 3), Newark Liberty International Airport (No. 4), Buffalo Niagara International Airport (No. 5), Connecticut's Bradley International Airport (No. 7), Hollywood Burbank International Airport (No. 8), Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (No. 9), and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (No. 10).

So where are travelers most satisfied? That honor goes to Portland International Airport, which came in No. 1 for the country's best airports. Rounding out the top three is Denver International Airport and Tampa International Airport.

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Airline News

San Antonio gets nonstop flights to this Washington, DC airport

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

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American Airlines will soon introduce long-awaited nonstop flights between San Antonio (SAT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). One flight will be scheduled daily, starting in March.

Tickets for the new service will be available on sale starting December 23 through aa.com or American’s mobile app.

The route was tentatively announced in October, but the U.S. Department of Transportation has now formally approved the application by American Airlines.

“This new service will offer convenient nonstop access to our nation’s capital for San Antonians, while helping further connect customers to our comprehensive global network," said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, in a press release. "American thanks the many elected officials and citizens who supported our application, and we look forward to welcoming customers onboard this new service soon.”

Flight 1718, reflecting the year San Antonio was founded, will depart SAT at 6:35 am and arrive in DCA at 10:41 am. Flight 1947, reflecting the year the U.S. Air Force was established, will depart DCA at 7:45 pm and arrive in SAT at 10:43 pm.

“This long-awaited connection to our nation’s capital is a game changer for our community, opening doors to countless opportunities for travel and economic development,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “I’m grateful to those who have championed this effort and for the bipartisan support of our representatives in the Senate and House, whose advocacy was instrumental in making these flights a reality. We look forward to the positive impact this nonstop service will have for years to come."

San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh echoed the sentiments about economic development and pointed out some growth already happening in San Antonio. The release also notes that San Antonio is the largest city in Texas lacking nonstop service to DCA and the largest city in the U.S. with a majority Hispanic population without nonstop service to DCA.

“Serving the fastest-growing city in the country, SAT has achieved record-breaking passenger numbers throughout 2024. This nonstop service to and from DCA addresses a need for our military, business, educational and research communities, among others. It also promotes competition and offers more travel options for passengers flying to and from San Antonio, enhancing connectivity as we continue making progress on the airport Terminal Development Program.”

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