airport news

San Antonio awarded 2nd best midsize airport in new WSJ report

2023 has been a great year for the San Antonio International Airport.

High-speed performance and low flight cancellations are the bread and butter of the San Antonio International Airport (SAT). The airport was recently named the No. 2 best midsize airport in a new list by The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal's annual ranking of the 50 largest and midsize airports in the U.S. is based on 30 metrics that determine each airport's reliability, convenience, and value.

SAT earned an overall score of 70.4, falling less than a single point behind the No. 1 winner: The San Jose Mineta International Airport. SAT's new rank is a two-spot improvement over its No. 4 ranking in 2022.

According to the report, nearly 75 percent of all arrival flights and 80 percent of departures are on time. If a flight does get delayed, the average arrival flight delay is only 61 minutes long and the average departure flight delay is 71 minutes. Most impressively, less than two percent of all SAT flights are cancelled. SAT also has the fastest security clearance out of all airports in the report.

San Antonio Airport System Director of Airports Jesus Saenz shared his excitement about SAT's No. 2 ranking in a press release.

"We are always aiming to be the No. 1 airport," Saenz said. "We are so close! Being ranked second best airport shows we are doing a stellar job serving our travelers."

Between breaking records for the busiest day ever recorded while still remaining one of the least stressful airports in the country, to adding new international flights to Europe and Mexico, 2023 has been a busy year for SAT.

Saenz added that the airport's success could not have been done without the help of the airport's employees.

"We are so proud of our entire team," he continued. "Their passion for helping people and our strong partnerships with our airlines help us stand out. We’ve had a phenomenal year."

The report can be found on wsj.com.

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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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