When it comes to traveling with kids, especially air travel, the contributors at Alamo City Moms Blog have done our fair share, as you can see from the list of related links at the bottom of this post. But one aspect of air travel that we haven’t covered yet is the glory of…drum roll, please…nonstop flights. Until recently, nonstop flights out of San Antonio International Airport were like unicorns, unless you were going to a major hub. Times are changing, and we are here to give you the lowdown on flying direct from SAT to dozens of cities across the United States and North America.
Benefits of Direct Flights When Flying with Kids
In my experience, the hardest part of air travel is the hurry-up-and-wait of getting to the airport, printing boarding passes, checking luggage, going through security, stocking up on supplies, finding the gate, and getting to your seats. When you can travel on a nonstop flight, you only have to go through that process once each way.
The challenge of changing planes is that you have to repeat the process of gathering up your stuff—including all the toys and snacks you have used as midair distractions—and getting off the plane, taking a bio break, restocking supplies, finding another gate, and getting to your seats. Depending on the ages of your kids, there will be a lot more crying and squirming, or harrumphing and eye-rolling, the second time you board a plane in one day.
That is the best-case scenario, because it assumes that your plane will be at the gate ready for you to board. Flight delays are all too common, especially at busy holiday times, which is often when families need to travel. Explaining the complexities of the air travel system is a lost cause when your inconsolable 18-month-old has a runny nose (thanks, cousin) and feels lousy. A missed connection can really mess up your day…or week.
Even if your destination has no nonstop flights from San Antonio, look into the possibility of flying directly to a larger airport in the region and taking a train or driving a rental car the rest of the way. Our family has used this technique to simplify traveling to Tucson, Arizona by flying nonstop to Phoenix.
The elite level version of this hack is driving to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and flying nonstop (possibly more cheaply) to your destination.
List of Nonstop Flights from San Antonio International Airport
To get the most up-to-date information about nonstop flight routes, be sure to visit San Antonio International Airport’s official site. As of this writing, here is a list of cities you can reach on a nonstop flight from San Antonio. These routes are subject to change, as reported recently in the San Antonio Express-News.
- Arizona
- Phoenix (PHX)
- California
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Oakland (OAK)
- Ontario (ONT)
- Orange County (SNA)
- San Diego (SAN)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- San Jose (SJC)
- Colorado
- Colorado Springs (COS)
- Denver (DEN)
- Florida
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Jacksonville (JAX)
- Miami (MIA)
- Orlando (MCO)
- Orlando/Sanford (SFB)
- Tampa (TPA)
- Georgia
- Atlanta (ATL)
- Illinois
- Chicago Midway (MDW)
- Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
- Louisiana
- New Orleans (MSY)
- Maryland
- Baltimore (BWI)
- Michigan
- Detroit (DTW)
- Minnesota
- Minneapolis/St.Paul (MSP)
- Missouri
- Kansas City (MCI)
- St. Louis (STL)
- Nebraska
- Omaha (OMA)
- Nevada
- Las Vegas (LAS)
- New Jersey
- Newark (EWR)
- New Mexico
- Albuquerque (ABQ)
- New York
- New York (JFK)
- North Carolina
- Charlotte (CLT)
- Raleigh/Durham (RDU)
- Ohio
- Cincinnati (LUK)
- Cleveland (CLE)
- Columbus (CMH)
- Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City (OKC)
- Tulsa (TUL)
- Oregon
- Portland (PDX)
- Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia (PHL)
- Tennessee
- Memphis (MEM)
- Nashville (BNA)
- Texas
- Dallas (DFW)
- Dallas Love (DAL)
- El Paso (ELP)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
- Utah
- Salt Lake City (SLC)
- Washington
- Seattle (SEA)
- District of Columbia
- Washington Dulles (IAD)
- Canada
- Toronto (YYZ)
- Mexico
- Cancun (CUN)
- Guadalajara (DGL)
- Mexico City (MEX)
- Monterrey (MTY)
Looking at that list, do you feel inspired to get up and go? Perhaps you would be tempted by a low fare to round up your family and visit another city for the weekend. Knowing that you can get there and back on a nonstop flight makes it just that much easier.
Recently, airlines added more nonstop flights between San Antonio and Seattle and Minneapolis/St. Paul, and added a new destination, Portland.
Are there any cities or airports that you wish were on the list of nonstop flights from San Antonio? My wish list includes Reagan (DCA) in Washington, D.C. and Logan (BOS) in Boston, Massachusetts (or, failing that, Green (PVD) in Providence, Rhode Island). Ongoing discussion of new nonstop routes is part of the airport’s Strategic Development Plan.
An informal survey in the Community + Conversation group revealed that Southwest Airlines is a popular choice for families flying out of San Antonio International Airport. Their interactive route search tool lets you pull up a list of places you can reach from San Antonio, with tags on the nonstop flights.
As mentioned above, the Alamo City Moms Blog team has written extensively about air travel with kids. Here are some links so you can read more:
- “‘Ma’am, There’s a Baby Under Your Seat’: Tips for Traveling with Littles,” Christine Cuthbert, October 14, 2018
- “Family Travels Across the Pond,” Rosalinda Moylan, Alamo City Moms Blog, August 25, 2017
- “Air Travel with Children: Your One-Way Ticket to Crazy Town,” Elizabeth Nichols, January 21, 2017
- “Have infant. Will (try to) travel,” Ariana Barbour, Alamo City Moms Blog, August 20, 2016
- “Flying with Kids Through the Ages,” Kristin Neal, Alamo City Moms Blog, April 21, 2016
- “Traveling Fiercely, Not Fearfully,” Inga Cotton, Alamo City Moms Blog, November 17, 2015
- “Perspectives on Parenting: Traveling With Kids,” Denise L. Moore, Alamo City Moms Blog, October 8, 2014
- “Traveling with a Young Child: What The Internet Won’t Tell You,” Lindsay Rouse, Alamo City Moms Blog, July 22, 2013
