San Antonio International Airport Lands Record $43 Million Federal Grant for Airfield and Terminal C Expansion

FAA Awards Historic $43 Million Aviation Infrastructure Grant to SAT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Cementing South Texas as a booming international commercial and aerospace crossroads, the City of San Antonio and San Antonio International Airport (SAT) announced on September 25, 2026, the award of more than $43 million in federal grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The allocation represents the largest single federal grant award in the airport's history.

The capital will directly finance extensive civil engineering work, including reconstructing aged taxiway intersections, installing stormwater drainage infrastructure to mitigate flash flooding, and upgrading airfield safety buffer zones. Aviation Director Jesus Saenz emphasized that modernizing the airfield accommodates surging passenger numbers, which recently surpassed pre-pandemic records, while positioning the facility for next-generation widebody international aircraft.

Construction Accelerates on Transformative $2.5 Billion Terminal C

The record FAA grant injects major momentum into San Antonio's sweeping $2.5 billion Airport Terminal Development Program. General contractors are maintaining aggressive construction timelines on the brand-new Terminal C, scheduled to debut in 2028. The terminal expansion will add up to 17 new aircraft gates, expansive passenger security screening checkpoints, modernized international arrivals processing facilities, and curated regional dining concourses.

Roadway reconfiguration and parking garage overhauls adjacent to existing Terminals A and B are progressing on schedule, minimizing passenger curb congestion during holiday travel periods.

VIA Rapid Green Line Advances Construction Along San Pedro Corridor

In ground mobility, VIA Metropolitan Transit advanced civil engineering on the VIA Rapid Green Line, San Antonio's premier Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) corridor running from the airport through downtown to the South Side. With dedicated center transit lanes and off-board fare collection taking shape along San Pedro Avenue, city leaders praised the alignment between world-class aviation facilities and rapid public transit.