Reaching new heights

San Antonio airport flies higher in annual traveler satisfaction study

Traveler satisfaction in SAIA is soaring.

San Antonio International Airport/Facebook

When it comes to traveler satisfaction, San Antonio International Airport is now in a different stratosphere.

The 2021 North American airport satisfaction study from market research giant J.D. Power puts the San Antonio airport in ninth place among large airports. Last year, San Antonio’s airport appeared in a lower tier — midsize airports — and ranked 11th.

This year, J.D. Power bumped the San Antonio airport up to the large category. It says some airports in the midsize category in 2020 weren’t eligible for this year’s ranking due to lower passenger volumes triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2021 study, the San Antonio airport earned a score of 813 on a 1,000-point scale, a few steps above the average score of 805 among the 20 large airports. Last year, the airport garnered a score of 811.

“COVID-19 presented tremendous challenges for airports and travelers, but it has always been our goal to offer exceptional customer service when travelers were ready to return. It is rewarding for our team because this recognition means that travelers see our commitment to them,” Jesus Saenz Jr., director of airports for the San Antonio Airport System, says in a news release.

Here’s how the other large airports in Texas fared:

Dallas Love Field, No. 4, with a score of 829. That score makes it the top-rated Texas airport in the study. In 2020, Love Field ranked first among all of the large airports, earning a score of 844.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, No. 7, with a score of 819. That’s up one notch from last year, when Austin-Bergstrom accumulated a score of 804.
William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, No. 17, with a score of 794. In 2020, Hobby ranked fourth, with a score of 823.

Attaining a score of 844, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport landed in first place among large airports this year. Large airports handle 10 million to 32.9 million passengers a year.

Miami International Airport, with a score of 828, grabbed the No. 1 spot among mega airports. This year’s average score for the 20 mega airports was 798. Mega airports welcome at least 33 million passengers a year.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport earned the No. 7 spot in the mega-airport category, with a score of 805. Last year, Texas’ busiest airport claimed sixth place, with a score of 791.

Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport secured the No. 8 spot in this year’s mega-airport category, with a score of 801. That’s up from 13th place in 2020, when it received a score of 775.

The J.D. Power study measures traveler satisfaction in six categories:

Travel facilities.
Airport accessibility.
Baggage claim.
Security check.
Check-in and baggage check.
Food, beverage, and retail.

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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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