A recent $17 million grant from the federal government for improvements to San Antonio International Airport brings the total funded and pending since last year to almost $64 million. More could be coming.
The latest grant award, announced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on July 20, will go toward reconstructing the airport’s runways, enhancing safety on one taxiway and improving another to accommodate a third terminal by 2028.
The total price tag of $20.7 million for those projects is part of the 20-year, $2.5 billion airport strategic development plan adopted in November 2021. The effort is expected to be funded by a combination of FAA grants, the bipartisan federal infrastructure bill, airport revenue and fees and airport bonds.
“This funding supports our continued focus on safety for both SAT and the FAA,” said Jesus Saenz, director of airports for the San Antonio Airport System. “Our partnership aligns with all of the efforts going on behind the scenes — from the people working diligently on securing these grants to project planners and engineers. We are always striving to be efficient and meet the highest safety standards in the industry.”
The FAA has awarded to airports nationwide $2 billion in grants through the fiscal year 2023 airport improvements program for improving runways, airfields and airport facilities. In its most recent round of awards, on July 20, three other Texas cities also were handed airport grants: Corpus Christi, Del Rio and Midland.
The federal grants, often covering 75% of the total cost, are key to funding major projects as the balance is paid for by the airport’s improvement and contingency fund budget.
Project managers, grant writers and analysts on the airport staff, working with the airport’s administration, have submitted grant application packages for 13 projects totaling $27.6 million in fiscal year 2022 and a potential $72.8 million in 2023.
That work paid off in grants totaling $20.7 million in 2022 and $42 million this year so far.
The largest grant this year was $20 million for construction expected to start next year on a ground load facility, a type of terminal often used by low-cost carriers to efficiently move people on and off airplanes.
The grant covers 44% of the estimated $45 million project.
“But we were told by the FAA to be prepared to receive additional funds if additional funds became available,” said Melissa Rivers, senior special project manager for the airport system, which could happen in late September, she added.
This year, the airport also has been awarded $1.6 million for Terminal A roof work and $96,051 for work on a perimeter road. Two grants are pending: $379,537 for a runway centerline lighting circuit replacement and $1.7 million for the design and construction of an airfield lighting and monitoring system.
From the Department of Energy, the airport received a grant of $1.2 million for three electric shuttle buses and charging infrastructure, a $1.65 million project.
The project seeks to replace older, gas-powered shuttle buses used to transport passengers between parking areas and terminals with more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly buses.
Worldwide, travel and tourism appear to be back on track after the COVID pandemic brought the industry to its knees in 2020 and 2021.
On July 23, the Transportation Security Administration screened just over 2.7 million passengers at U.S. airports. Checkpoints processed a record-breaking 2.88 million on June 30 — the most ever screened in a single day.
San Antonio also broke records in June, said Brian Pratte, chief air service development officer for the San Antonio Airport System.
The start of summer saw 900,000 people flying in and out of the airport, turning the month of May into the busiest May in San Antonio airport history. Then June became the second busiest month in all of SAT history, just behind July 2019, he said.
Passenger numbers for July 2023 are not yet available. With an average of 7% above 2019 screenings already occurring and parking lots full, Pratte said he expects to see more record-busting statistics.
In April, the latest month for which figures are available, 1.8 million passengers flew through Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, in contrast to San Antonio’s April count of 855,404.
