EDITORIAL: With Southwest and San Antonio reaching a deal, the airport is set for takeoff
May 19-We're pleased to see the city of San Antonio and Southwest Airlines Co. reach an agreement to end litigation that was in neither party's interests.
The agreement calls for Southwest to have three gates in San Antonio International Airport's $1.7 billion Terminal C, which is under construction and scheduled to open in 2028, and three in Terminal B, which is slated for $100 million in renovations after Terminal C opens.
As a result, the airline will leave Terminal A, where it operates and which it has said is inadequate for the long term because of its size, narrow corridor and dated infrastructure. Terminal A will be renovated, but Southwest wanted no part of it.
The dispute dates to September 2024, when the city approved a new airline use and lease agreement that detailed future gate assignments. The agreement is integral to ensuring funding for the new construction and renovations.
Southwest sued the airport and its director, Jesus Saenz, that month in federal court, later alleging the city misled Southwest into thinking it would be assigned to Terminal C. Southwest asked the court to invalidate the lease agreement, which was signed by the other major carriers and had assigned Southwest to Terminal A.
Southwest said Terminal A was unacceptable, even with $200 million allocated toward its renovation and plans to reduce the number of gates from 17 to 10, making the terminal roomier.
Southwest later filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration with allegations that largely mirrored those in its lawsuit. It asked the FAA to punish the airport by withholding critical grants.
While we found the lawsuit lacking - as did the U.S. district judge who dismissed it - and the FAA complaint vindictive, we don't fault Southwest for fighting to be in Terminal C. What airline wouldn't want a presence there?
It's not that there was a conspiracy intent on sabotaging Southwest's operations in San Antonio. It's that the city and the airport have a vision for San Antonio International that is bigger than any one airline.
A big part of that is reinforcing the airport's role as an economic engine by adding amenities long-sought by frequent business travelers. This is reflected in the commitments American and Delta airlines have made to spacious passenger clubs - something Southwest was not planning, although that could change.
That said, there was a compromise to be made, and Southwest deserves credit for being open to receiving less than it sought but more than it would have gotten. Late last year, the airline reduced its demand from 10 gates to six gates, and in the past couple of months, it dropped its insistence that those gates be contiguous.
We're confident this agreement will serve Southwest's needs. And we applaud the airline for reaching a compromise that honors the larger vision while fulfilling what it most wanted - not the least of which was a path out of Terminal A.
With three gates in the future Terminal C, Southwest will provide the experience it envisioned to some passengers, while others will be well-served in a renovated Terminal B.
The two-terminal presence should not be a problem for travelers because passengers rarely make connecting flights here. Whether they're departing or arriving, they will only pass through one terminal.
Meanwhile, we commend the city for remaining steadfast in preserving the integrity of the lease agreement with respect to the other airlines and its intentions for renovating the older terminals.
San Antonio International has made significant strides in elevating its passenger terminals. Before that, the experience was more akin to walking through a warehouse that happened to be adjacent to airplane runways. And the parking was worse.
City leaders understand that treating air travel infrastructure as a generic commodity not worth investing in is shortsighted. That approach will serve passengers who enjoy a superior customer experience and the city, which will be better positioned to foster economic growth.
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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 11:23 AM.