Getting around · San Antonio
Getting to and from SAT: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to San Antonio airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $24–$29 to downtown San Antonio, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check SAT TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminals
- 2
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from SAT — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$24–$29
to downtown San Antonio
Drive time
15–25 min
8 mi to downtown San Antonio
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $24–$29 to downtown San Antonio on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Outer commercial curbside at Terminal A, lower level. Look for the red-shirted Ground Transportation staff for help. Metered: $3.50 to start, $2.70 per mile after the first mile, $0.40 per minute waiting, plus a $1.25 airport fee and a $20 airport minimum. A $1 surcharge applies 9 p.m.-5 a.m. Up to 6 can share if bags and people fit.
The SAT cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lot. One block off Loop 410/Airport Blvd, next to the QMart and Burger King. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Free, open 24/7, with 150 spaces, free Wi-Fi and a flight status board. Stay with your vehicle and wait for your passenger to call from the curb.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare SATparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at SAT
Uber, Lyft, Wingz, Wridz and Turo meet you on the outer commercial curbside, lower level of Terminal A. Approved apps include Wridz and Wingz, not just Uber and Lyft.
Dropping off? Being dropped off is fastest from the departures (upper) level — have your driver pull up to your airline's terminal. SAT has 2 terminals (A, B), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at SAT.
Driving to SAT — routes & drive time
SAT sits about 8 miles from downtown San Antonio, a drive of roughly 15–25 minutes via Off US-281 at Loop 410; take US-281 south to reach downtown — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to SAT by train or transit
VIA bus Route 5 runs daily from the far west end of Terminal B to downtown San Antonio in about 30 minutes for $1.30. Route 7 (Stone Oak Express) also serves the airport on weekdays.
Fare: $1.30 one-way; transfers are free; $2.75 day pass.
Hotel and city shuttles to SAT
Hotel courtesy shuttles and charter buses serve SAT; arrange hotel pickups directly with your hotel. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to SAT?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $8/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to downtown San Antonio runs about $53. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 7 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare SATparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at SAT
VIA Route 5 buses are wheelchair accessible, and red-shirted Ground Transportation staff at the Terminal A curb can help arrange rides.
Late or overnight arrival? Rideshare and taxis run 24/7; the $1 taxi night surcharge applies 9 p.m.-5 a.m. and VIA Route 5 runs less often late at night.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return at the Consolidated Car Rental Facility. Take the elevator or escalator to the Terminal B Mezzanine Level and cross the Sky Bridge. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified SAT's ground-transport details as of June 27, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is AUS (Austin), about 67 miles from SAT in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from SAT — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go SAT
SAT TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ SAT
How much is a taxi to or from SAT?
A metered taxi to downtown San Antonio typically runs about $24–$29, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Outer commercial curbside at Terminal A, lower level. Look for the red-shirted Ground Transportation staff for help.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at SAT?
Uber, Lyft, Wingz, Wridz and Turo meet you on the outer commercial curbside, lower level of Terminal A. Approved apps include Wridz and Wingz, not just Uber and Lyft. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the SAT cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lot — One block off Loop 410/Airport Blvd, next to the QMart and Burger King. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is SAT from downtown San Antonio?
SAT is about 8 miles from downtown San Antonio — roughly 15–25 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Off US-281 at Loop 410; take US-281 south to reach downtown.
Is there a train from SAT to downtown San Antonio?
Not directly. VIA bus Route 5 runs daily from the far west end of Terminal B to downtown San Antonio in about 30 minutes for $1.30. Route 7 (Stone Oak Express) also serves the airport on weekdays.