City officials opened a new airport facility on Friday that expands Terminal A by three gates. Starting next week, flights will begin departing from gates A1A, A1B and A1C in the $55 million ground loading facility at the San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
The expansion is the first major project completion in the long-term strategic plan designed to improve the San Antonio airport, and the first significant new project at the airport since a parking garage opened in 2017.
The project was years in the making, said Director of Airports Jesus Saenz.
“This is all about elevate SAT,” Saenz said, using the airport’s campaign theme for the work that’s being done. “You’re going to see more and more. This is the largest capital development that we’re undertaking currently in this city.”
What is a ground load facility?
Accessible from the east end of Terminal A, the facility is like those commonly used at smaller airports such as Burbank and Long Beach in California but also found at larger hubs like the Denver International Airport.
The facilities are preferred by low-cost and ultra-low-cost carriers flying narrow body and regional jets to efficiently move passengers on and off aircraft. The system reduces their cost, and ostensibly, airfares.
In a ground load facility, passengers wait for their flight in the terminal as they normally would, but then board or exit a plane from the tarmac, similar to how air travel looked before jetways came into widespread use. A system of switchback ramps lead from the ground to the front and back of the plane.
Visible to drivers upon approach to the arrivals and departures lanes, the facility is a two-story structure that connects to Terminal A.
Inside, the spacious terminal provides seating for 211, a retail concession stocked with local souvenirs and grab-and-go food and beverages and a Chef Johnny’s Mercado restaurant. A wall of windows and an outdoor terrace overlook the runway.
Its tilt design and industrial look, with exposed ductwork and simple layout, is intentional, said Deputy Aviation Director Tim O’Krongley.
“One [reason] was for speed,” he said. “Beyond that, we designed it to be very flexible,” so that all furnishings and walls can be easily moved to accommodate future expansion.
O’Krongley pointed to a frosted panel wall separating the terminal from the Federal Inspection Station (Customs) that can be removed when that function eventually moves to Terminal C.
The terminal could be easily adapted for vertical electric self-piloted aircraft in the future, he said. It will also serve as a backup when the remodel work on Terminal A begins in 2028 after Terminal C is completed.
Why expand the terminal?
The terminal expansion project also included building a ramp for aircraft that park overnight near the facility. The cost of both the terminal and the $25 million ramp project were offset by Federal Aviation Administration grants totaling $35 million.
City Manager Erik Walsh said the San Antonio airport has a $7.4 billion annual economic impact on the city and Greater:SATX President and CEO Sarah Carabias Rush called the airport expansion critical to the city’s growth.
“This is tremendously important for the growth of San Antonio and our ability to compete when it comes to corporate relocations and corporate development opportunities,” she said. “We need to be able to reach as many locations as we possibly can. By expanding our footprint here, we’re on our way to being able to bring more direct flights in so it’s critical honestly.”
Officials said they expect the Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier Volaris transporting passengers to Guadalajara, Mexico, to be among the first flights to depart from the terminal. Other flights and carriers are not yet scheduled.
“This is step one of the expansion of Terminal A,” Saenz said. “We’re working on it and we’re going to continue to do good things, not only for the new terminal, but for Terminal B and Terminal A…. Everything you see in the designs here will be incorporated into the Terminal A and Terminal B renovations.”
In 2024, as part of the overall strategic growth effort, aviation officials made plans to designate a new-and-improved Terminal A for Southwest Airlines’ sole use.
But Southwest, which accounted for more than one-third of the passengers who used the airport last year, wanted 10 gates in the new $1.4 billion terminal, and sued to make that happen.
In September, a judge ruled against Southwest, which said it would appeal the decision.
Saenz would not discuss the lawsuit, but said, “We have a really good, strong relationship with them … we’ve got good plans for Southwest Airlines, and we’re excited where we’re going.”
What else is happening at the airport?
Over on the west side of the airport, construction continues on Terminal C, where SAT will gain 17 new gates plus lounge spaces and checkpoints for international travelers. Designs for a new $125-million parking garage also were recently approved.
The effort to build a new terminal comes with work on the arrival and departure lanes near Terminal B which have been partially closed. Travelers are being advised to use the short-term parking garage for drop-offs and pick-ups.
Wait times at SAT security checkpoints remain under 14 minutes despite the long lines reported at other major airports since the partial government shutdown.
That’s due to dedicated Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, said Jane Fisher, assistant federal security director at TSA, and support from the community.
She said on Friday CPS Energy delivered a donation of diapers to the airport and assured TSA agents their utilities would not be disconnected for lack of payment.
SAT currently offers 50 nonstop destinations, up from 33 in 2023 when the travel industry was still recovering from the fallout of the pandemic. In 2025, just over 10.7 million total passengers traveled through the airport, a decrease of 3.2% compared to 2024.
At the opening of the expanded terminal, aviation officials said they are looking forward to the return of Air Canada’s service to Toronto which begins May 1. The flight will operate three times a week through October.
