San Antonio Airport Secures $43M FAA Drainage Grant as VIA Rapid Advances San Pedro ART Corridor

San Antonio International Airport Awarded Historic $43 Million Federal Airfield Grant

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Propelling the largest infrastructure modernization in municipal history, the San Antonio International Airport (SAT) secured over $43 million in federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The grant—the single largest federal aviation award in SAT's history—funds critical airfield drainage systems, underground culverts, and apron grading essential to support ongoing construction of the $2.5 billion ELEVATE/SAT terminal development program.

Airport construction teams are actively progressing foundational pilings for the brand-new, 850,000-square-foot Terminal C, scheduled to open in mid-2028 with 18 state-of-the-art domestic and international gates. Additionally, the city awarded a $220.5 million contract to Manhattan-Joeris to modernize Terminals A and B, ensuring San Antonio's aviation gateway meets surging passenger demand across Central and South Texas.

VIA Rapid Accelerates North/South Advanced Rapid Transit Corridor Along San Pedro Avenue

Connecting the airport directly to the historic urban core, VIA Metropolitan Transit advanced civil construction along the VIA Rapid North/South Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) corridor (the Green Line). Stretching along San Pedro Avenue, the dedicated rapid busway connects the airport transit hub through downtown San Antonio south to the World Heritage Spanish Missions.

Crews are actively pouring concrete for dedicated center-running lanes, installing high-visibility raised platforms with level boarding, and programming transit signal priority at high-traffic intersections. Slated to open in 2027, the line will deliver 10-minute headways, cutting travel times by more than 20 percent between north-side employment centers and the downtown River Walk district.

City Council Reinforces Infrastructure and Fiscal Stability

The aviation and transit milestones unfold as the San Antonio City Council enacts its Fiscal Year 2027 budget, which closed general fund gaps while preserving essential public services and directing over $156 million in targeted property tax relief to local homeowners.

Business and civic leaders lauded the coordinated capital delivery, emphasizing that world-class airport facilities and rapid transit lines anchor San Antonio's economic future on the global stage.