San Antonio airport breaks ground on $1.2B terminal, aiming to boost travel and economy

Construction is officially underway for a new terminal at the San Antonio International Airport. The new terminal will have 17 gates with international and domestic travel capacity.

SAT first announced plans for the new terminal in 2023. On Tuesday, the public got a first look at what the new terminal will look like, and construction officially began.

Airport and city leaders said the new terminal won’t just bring added comfort to travelers, but will also bring economic opportunities and growth for the entire region.

“This new terminal will ensure we meet the evolving needs of our passengers, businesses, and partners of San Antonio,” said San Antonio International Airport Director, Jesus Saenz.

Saenz said there have been record-breaking travel numbers at SAT for the last 18 months and the new terminal is desperately needed because in 2025, the airport is predicted to serve 11 million travelers.

The project will cost around $1.2 Billion and will be funded by grant money and private investments.

“Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, almost $570 billion in funding for airport projects just like this,” said Ryan Whalen, Special Assistant to the President.

With such a large investment, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the new terminal will bring thousands of jobs to San Antonio International Airport, the construction alone creating 16,000 jobs.

“Already the San Antonio International Airport generates $7.4 Billion for our region’s economy and supports 55,00 jobs every single year,” said Mayor Nirenberg.

Aside from creating jobs at the airport, Jenna Saucedo-Herrera with Greater SATX said the new terminal will also attract new employers to San Antonio.

“With this new terminal we’ll not only be able to enhance our ability to support the employers that already call San Antonio home, but we will further position San Antonio as a prime destination for global companies looking to invest,” said Saucedo-Herrera.

The terminal is expected to be completed in 2028. The project manager for the construction site said the biggest goal is to not disrupt the airport’s current operations and for travelers to not notice the construction.