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San Antonio International Airport rebrands itself 'SAT' as major improvements move forward

Silver confetti falls during a airport rebranding ceremony hosted by Jesus Saenz, the city's director of airports.
Gabriella Alcorta Gomez
/
Texas Public Radio
Silver confetti falls during a airport rebranding ceremony hosted by Jesus Saenz, the city's director of airports.

San Antonio International Airport has rebranded itself to draw attention to $2.5 billion in improvements, including a new planned terminal, set to open in 2028.

There was a countdown to unveil a new airport logo during a ceremony at the city-owned facility on Monday.

The new logo simply reads "SAT," the internationally recognized code letters for the airport within the airline industry. The letters are colored in pink, purple, and blue, just like a Texas sunrise, said airport officials.

It's a new dawn for the airport too. A new main terminal with 17 international flights is set to open in four years. Those flights will join international flights added in 2023. There's also hard lobbying in Congress for a direct flight to Washington D.C.

"We're a hub where cultures converge and journeys begin," Jesus Saenz, the city's director of airports, said during the ceremony.

From left, San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh, Republican Congressman Chip Roy, Democratic Congressman Juaquin Castro, and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg at airport rebranding ceremony on Mar. 4, 2024.
Gabriella Alcorta-Gomez
/
TPR
San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh (from left), Republican Congressman Chip Roy, Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro, and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg at the airport rebranding ceremony on March 4, 2024.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said SAT has created 46,000 jobs and pumps more than $5 billion into the local economy every year.

"Success for the airport means success for San Antonio." he told those gathered for the rebranding ceremony, including most of the members of the city's congressional delegation.

The airport has set records for the number of passengers passing through for each consecutive month dating back to May 2023.

Airport officials and the mayor thanked the congressional delegation for landing millions of federal dollars for improvements, including a makeover for Terminal A.

New uniforms for 400 airport employees and all sorts of airport swag will also be covered in the sunrise hues.

Gabriella Alcorta-Gomez contributed to this report.

Texas Public Radio is supported by contributors to the Bioscience and Medicine News Desk including UT Health San Antonio and Dr. Johnny and Joni Reyna, supporting prostate cancer research and early detection to save lives.