Travel turbulence

San Antonio airport logs one of worst records for flight delays and cancellations

Holiday travelers could be in for a turbulent time.

San Antonio International Airport/Facebook

If you’re planning to fly out of San Antonio International Airport over the holidays, buckle up. You could be in for a bumpy experience.

A new ranking from The Family Vacation Guide puts SAT at No. 9 among U.S. airports where you’re most likely to encounter flight delays or cancellations. The website’s review of federal data from July 2019 to July 2021 found 19.03 percent of flights at SAT were either delayed or canceled during the two-year period.

Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport ranked third (20.77 percent) for flight delays and cancellations. Only Newark Liberty International Airport (24.29 percent) and LaGuardia Airport (22.52 percent), both in the New York City area, fared worse than DFW in the ranking.

But it's not all bad news for Texas travelers. Despite the recent flight debacles involving Fort Worth-based American Airlines and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, the two carriers don’t land in the top five of The Family Vacation Guide’s ranking of the U.S. airlines with the most flight delays or cancellations.

Allegiant Air takes the top spot (27.31 percent), followed by JetBlue Airways (23.2 percent), Frontier Airlines (21.24 percent), Envoy Air (19.52 percent), and United Airlines (18.6 percent).

American ranks sixth (18.55 percent) and Southwest ranks eighth (16.97 percent).

Whether it’s airports or airlines, the flying public could feel increased turbulence over the holidays as air travel is expected to climb to pandemic-era highs. A recent survey by professional services firm PwC found 40 percent of Americans plan to travel by air during the holiday season.

“A spate of high-profile flight cancellations has put a spotlight on worker shortages at U.S. airlines, triggering warnings of new delays over the holiday period as airlines scramble for staff,” the Reuters news service reports in reference to the recent American and Southwest meltdowns.

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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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