Frontier Airlines will begin service in San Antonio this year. The announcement was made Tuesday.
Frontier will provide direct flights from San Antonio to Philadelphia, a route not currently offered. It will also add more direct flights to Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Denver, where the company is based.
Last year City Council approved a program to provide financial incentives for airlines to begin serving San Antonio. City Councilman Joe Krier says this announcement shows the program is working, and is an important development for tourists and businesses alike.
“San Antonio views itself as a part of the global economy, if you’re not a part of the global economy in today’s world you’re a city in decline," says Krier. "And we all know to be a part of the global economy you’ve got to connect by air routes, and you’ve got to connect by as many nonstop air routes as possible.”
Richard Perez is president and CEO of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. He says the incentive program's funding for marketing is one of the most attractive components for airlines.
“We’re giving them the money and allowing them to use their own resources so that they can use their branding and the model that they have already," says Perez. "That flexibility is one of the big pluses to allowing our service incentive to be that much more embraced by the airlines.”
Frontier advertises itself as an ultra low cost airline, with flights starting at $19 one way during their introductory promotion, and a la carte services like seat selection available at an added cost.
Frontier will begin service from San Antonio this May.
