San Antonio International Airport breaks ground on new terminal to accommodate rapid growth and improve capacity.

San Antonio International Airport (SAT) celebrated the groundbreaking of a new terminal in a ceremony on 10 December 2024 at the airport. SAT is one of the United States’ fastest-growing medium-sized airports. The new terminal will contribute to SAT and the San Antonio region’s rapid growth

This milestone marks a major advancement in SAT’s dedication to addressing the growing needs of global air travel. With a contemporary, user-friendly design, improved passenger facilities, and state-of-the-art technology, the new terminal will boost SAT’s capacity and provide an enhanced travel experience for millions. 

“This groundbreaking is more than just the start of a construction project,” said Jesus Saenz, IAP, Director of Airports. “It is the beginning of a new chapter for our airport and our community. As SAT continues to experience record-breaking growth each month, this new terminal will ensure we meet the needs of passengers, businesses and partners from San Antonio and around the world.”

Features of the New Terminal and its impact

SAT’s new terminal will deliver an all-new experience for passengers, featuring up to 17 gates, more than 800,000 square feet of new terminal space, 35,700 square feet of concessions space, and 29,000 square feet of club lounge space. 

The construction of the new terminal is part of the Terminal Development Program (TDP), which will guide future development of the airfield, terminal facilities, ground access and support infrastructure over the next 20 years. TDP is the cornerstone of Elevate/SAT, a $2.5 billion expansion and capital improvements plan that will improve and enhance SAT, the customer experience and the San Antonio region. Elevate/SAT is the largest capital improvement plan that the City of San Antonio has undertaken. 

Over its lifespan, the economic impact of TDP is estimated to be $2.8B and it is anticipated to generate more than 16,000 new jobs.

TDP is the result of a multi-year collaboration to address the San Antonio region’s rapid growth. The project is part of the airport’s Strategic Development Plan and was unanimously supported by San Antonio City Council in November 2021. The terminal is scheduled for completion in 2028.

Check out the ceremony here.