Nonstop International Flights Out of San Antonio Have Been Scarce. That’s Starting to Change
Oct. 12—A shortage of nonstop flights, particularly to foreign destinations, has been a perennial complaint about San Antonio International Airport.
Travelers find it inconvenient. Business leaders say it's a drag on the region's economic growth.
Lately, however, airport officials have made headway in linking the nation's seventh most populous city to new international destinations. Here's a roundup.
Frankfurt, here we come
In September, airport officials announced that German leisure carrier Condor will operate seasonal nonstop flights to and from Frankfurt, Germany, beginning in May. It's San Antonio's first regular, direct service to Europe.
Condor bills itself as Germany's "most popular leisure airline." Many of the carrier's planes are done up in green, gold or blue stripes, "inspired by parasols, bath towels and beach chairs," according to the company's website.
The San Antonio-Frankfurt connection will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
City officials say the route will benefit business travelers as well as tourists and could result in more German investment in local firms.
"These new flights obviously will help us open up some pathways to particular industries that are strong on both sides, including advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity," Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.
Here's an FAQ on Condor by Express-News reporter Megan Rodriguez. And here's an analysis by metro editor Greg Jefferson explaining why the direct link to Germany is a big deal for San Antonio.
Querétaro
Starting in December, travelers to Querétaro, Mexico, an automotive and aerospace hub and a popular tourist destination, will be able to fly there nonstop from San Antonio International.
Mexican low-cost carrier Viva Aerobus will offer year-round direct service on Mondays and Fridays.
Querétaro is a city of 2.4 million in central Mexico. It exported more than $4 billion in automobiles and auto parts in 2022, mostly to U.S. buyers.
Avanzar Interior Technologies is among the San Antonio companies expected to benefit from the direct connection. The firm, a Toyota supplier, has two plants in Mexico. Now, Avanzar employees have to catch connecting flights in Houston or Mexico City to get to Querétaro. The direct service out of San Antonio will cut their travel time by more than half.
Torreón
Torreón is an industrial city in northern Mexico that's an important source of auto parts and electronics. It's also a mining center.
Starting in June, business and leisure travelers will be able to fly there direct from San Antonio on Viva Aerobus.
Only one other U.S. airport offers direct flights to Torreón: Dallas/Fort Worth International.
It's the seventh destination in Mexico now reachable via direct flights out of San Antonio. The others are Cancun, Guadalajara, Leon, Mexico City, Monterrey and Querétaro.
Overall, San Antonio International now has direct flights to 44 domestic and foreign destinations. A complete list is here.
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