San Antonio Airport Code: Sat, What's In A Name?

what is san antonio airport code

San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is an international airport in San Antonio, Texas, United States. The airport is located about eight miles north of downtown San Antonio and has two terminals with 27 jet bridge gates. The airport code for San Antonio International Airport is SAT.

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San Antonio International Airport's location and transport links

San Antonio International Airport (IATA: SAT, ICAO: KSAT, FAA LID: SAT) is located in Uptown Central San Antonio, Texas, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Downtown San Antonio. The airport is situated near the intersection of Interstate 410 and U.S. 281. U.S. 281 provides quick access (under 15 minutes in normal traffic) to Downtown and northern San Antonio. Interstate 410, a loop, makes other parts of the city easily accessible.

The airport has two terminals with a total of 27 jet bridge gates. The original one-level terminal (formerly Terminal 2) opened in 1953 and was expanded twice, in 1959 and 1968. Terminal 2 was eventually replaced by the new Terminal B, which opened in 2010. The second terminal, now Terminal A, opened in 1984 and is the larger of the two, with 17 gates. All international carriers operate out of Terminal A.

San Antonio International Airport offers various transport options for passengers arriving or departing from the airport. VIA Metropolitan Transit provides weekday express bus services from the airport directly to Downtown San Antonio and a park-and-ride facility in Stone Oak on Route 7. Route 5 offers local bus services and transfers to other routes at the North Star Transit Center. Shared-ride shuttles are also available, connecting the airport with many hotels in downtown San Antonio. Additionally, charter bus services, taxis, and ride-sharing options like Uber and Lyft are accessible from the airport, providing transportation to destinations such as Fiesta Texas, the North Star Mall, and Retama Park.

The airport is currently undergoing major construction work to improve its road system, parking garages, and overall flying experience. This includes the development of two new terminal buildings, which will increase the overall gate capacity to 35, and the construction of a new five-level parking garage.

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History of the airport

San Antonio International Airport (IATA: SAT, ICAO: KSAT, FAA LID: SAT) is an international airport in San Antonio, Texas, United States. It is located in Uptown Central San Antonio, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Downtown. The airport was founded in 1941 when the City of San Antonio purchased 1,200 acres (490 ha) of undeveloped land that was then north of the city limits for a project to be called "San Antonio Municipal Airport."

During World War II, a large portion of the northeast section of the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a training base. The 77th Reconnaissance Group trained reconnaissance personnel who later served overseas, and one squadron (113th) flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. The airport was not fully finished until after the war, and in 1944, the Alamo Field portion of the airport was turned over to the City of San Antonio for civil use. That same year, the airport's name was changed from San Antonio Municipal Airport to San Antonio International Airport.

The original one-level terminal (formerly Terminal 2) opened in 1953 with ground-loading holding areas and was expanded twice: once in 1959 with new east and west wings, and again in 1968 with an eight-gate satellite concourse, which was built to handle visitors to HemisFair '68. In 1971, the airport was one of three original destinations for new startup Southwest Airlines. In 1975, the city adopted its first Airport Master Plan, which included plans for a new parking garage and a new terminal (formerly called Terminal 1, now called Terminal A). The current Terminal 1 was built in 1984 and handles around 60% of all traffic at San Antonio Airport. Terminal 2 was closed and demolished between 2010 and 2012, and was replaced by the new Terminal B.

Today, San Antonio International Airport has two terminals with an overall 27 jet bridge gates. The airport averages 260 daily departures and arrivals at its 27 gates, which serve 14 airlines flying non-stop to 45 destinations in the US and Mexico. It is the 44th busiest airport in the United States by passenger traffic.

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Airlines and destinations

San Antonio International Airport (IATA: SAT, ICAO: KSAT, FAA LID: SAT) serves 14 airlines flying non-stop to 45 destinations in the US and Mexico. The airport has two terminals with 27 jet bridge gates. The airport is the 44th busiest airport in the United States by passenger traffic, averaging 260 daily departures and arrivals.

Airlines

  • American Airlines
  • Delta
  • Frontier Airlines
  • Southwest Airlines
  • Spirit Airlines
  • Sun Country Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • VivaAerobus
  • Volaris
  • Aeromexico (SkyTeam)

Destinations

United States

  • Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Baltimore, Maryland
  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Burbank, California
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Chicago-O'Hare, Illinois
  • Chicago-Midway, Illinois
  • Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
  • New York, New York
  • Orlando, Florida
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • San Diego, California
  • San Francisco, California
  • Seattle / Tacoma, Washington
  • St. Louis, Missouri
  • Tampa, Florida
  • Washington, Washington

Mexico

  • Cancún
  • Guadalajara
  • León
  • Mexico City
  • Monterrey
  • Morelia
  • Querétaro
  • San Luis Potosí

Historical Overview

The first airline to serve the airport was Braniff Airlines in 1943, followed by American Airlines the following year. In 1944, the airport's name was changed from San Antonio Municipal Airport to San Antonio International Airport. From February to September 2006, the airport was a focus city for United Airlines, with flights to 12 cities in conjunction with partner Trans States Airlines.

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Airport facilities and amenities

San Antonio International Airport (IATA: SAT, ICAO: KSAT, FAA LID: SAT) is located in Uptown Central San Antonio, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Downtown. The airport has two terminals (Terminal A and Terminal B) with 27 gates in total, serving 14 airlines.

San Antonio International Airport has a wide range of facilities and amenities for passengers. The airport is easily accessible by road, with Interstate 410 and U.S. 281 providing quick connections to Downtown and northern San Antonio. A park and ride facility is also available in Stone Oak. For those driving to the airport to pick up or drop off passengers, there is a Cell Phone Waiting Lot located one block off 410/Airport Blvd, with a special rate of $33 per day for parking.

The airport offers a comprehensive selection of eateries and shops spread across its two terminals. Terminal A features options such as Alamo City Microbrewery & Grill, Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks, and Vino Volo, while Terminal B includes eateries like Alamo Alehouse & Gourmet Burger Bar, Charley's, and Green Beans. There are also various business services available in the Terminal 2 conference room, including computer modems, whiteboards, and office supplies.

In addition to the usual disabled facilities, emergency medical treatment, a games room, a small chapel, luggage handling, and a lost property desk are also available at the airport. Artworks and rotating exhibits organised by Public Art San Antonio (PASA) can be found throughout the airport, including on the Gate Portals, Arrivals Mezzanine, and along the Paseo Walkway.

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Airport codes and air traffic control

San Antonio International Airport, located in Uptown Central San Antonio, Texas, United States, has the airport code SAT (IATA) and KSAT (ICAO). The airport covers 2,305 acres and has three runways. It is the 44th busiest airport in the United States by passenger traffic, averaging 260 daily departures and arrivals at its 27 gates.

Airport codes are an essential component of air traffic control and aviation operations. Airports worldwide use a universal three-letter code or Location Identifier, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). These codes are used for quick and efficient communication between pilots, controllers, travel agents, and other stakeholders. They are also used on baggage tags, making it easier to identify the destination or origin of luggage.

The three-letter IATA codes are typically derived from the name of the airport or the city it serves. For example, LAX is used for Los Angeles International Airport. These codes do not provide a specific geographic reference, as seen with the code for Heathrow Airport, LHR, which does not indicate the airport's location in London.

In contrast to IATA codes, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assigns airport codes that are four characters long and alphanumeric. These codes are distributed by region and country, with the first one or two letters indicating the country, and the remaining letters identifying the airport. For instance, Heathrow Airport's ICAO code is EGLL, with EG denoting the United Kingdom. ICAO codes are used by air traffic control for flight planning and airline operations, and they differ from IATA codes, which are used for reservations and baggage tagging.

Some airports may have two ICAO codes, typically when they are shared by civilian and military users. For example, Frankfurt Airport in Germany has the ICAO code EDDF, while the Rhein-Main Air Base had the code EDAF until its closure. The selection of ICAO codes is delegated to authorities in each country, while IATA codes are decided centrally by IATA.

Frequently asked questions

The airport code for San Antonio International Airport is SAT.

The address of San Antonio International Airport is 9710 Airport Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78216.

San Antonio International Airport is 809 feet (247 m) above sea level.

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