San Antonio International Airport Announces First-Ever Nonstop Flights To Europe

The seventh largest city in the nation and among the fastest growing metros, San Antonio, made history last week with a major announcement -- its first trans-Atlantic direct flight to Europe. Beginning May 17, 2024, Condor Airlines will begin seasonal, nonstop flights from San Antonio International Airport (SAT) to Frankfurt (FRA), a major access point with almost 300 nonstop destinations to more than 90 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. The news today fuels the greater San Antonio region's expanding footprint and its position as a global brand.

"This a spectacular win for San Antonio," said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. "This is the first time people in San Antonio will be able to fly from SAT to Europe nonstop and vice-versa. Germany is where San Antonio has the most demand for travel in Europe because of the cultural, historic, tourism, military, and business ties."

SAT's first-ever nonstop trans-Atlantic service on Condor will have an annual $34 million estimated economic impact to the region.

"This nonstop route to Frankfurt is a big win for the City of San Antonio and our regional businesses," said Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, President & CEO of greater:SATX, the economic development partnership for the region. "I'm bullish on our air service progress and even more excited about what this means for supporting new corporate growth in our San Antonio region. With each added nonstop flight, San Antonio is better positioned to continue growing our base of manufacturing, technology, financial services, life sciences, and clean energy industries."

San Antonio-based corporations will benefit from the global flight through increased tourism and business opportunities the direct flight will deliver, including financial services and fintech leader, USAA and grocery and private brand guru, H-E-B.

"San Antonio, or Military City USA as we like to call it, is a hub for growth, talent, and tourism, and the connectivity this brings will help accelerate our city's progress," said Wayne Peacock, President & CEO of USAA. This new flight route represents a collaborative effort across business, tourism and government organizations, all of which care deeply about the San Antonio community. It opens the door to the rest of Europe and beyond but, more importantly, shows the power of San Antonians when they unite around a shared mission."

"San Antonio has been the largest and fastest-growing U.S. city without nonstop transatlantic service, and we're proud to announce our first nonstop flight to Europe," said Craig Boyan, President of H-E-B. We've also added nonstop service to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Kansas City with plans for many more destinations as we continue to invest in our airport and air service."

Tickets are on sale now and Condor will service the flight with its new fuel-efficient Airbus A330-900neo aircraft that features 310 total seats with 30 in Business Class, 64 in Premium Economy, and 216 in Economy. The new seasonal service will operate from May 17-September 6, 2024.

Jesus Saenz, Director of Airports, San Antonio Airport System, said Condor is a welcome addition for SAT, which will help attract other airlines and more destinations.

"This is just the beginning of so much more to come at SAT," Saenz said. "We fully believe San Antonio will utilize this service to Europe and take advantage of Condor's extremely competitive airfares. Once that happens, we anticipate Condor will expand their services even further."

Visit San Antonio, the region's tourism and convention destination marketing organization, and greater:SATX will work in partnership with the City of San Antonio to market the new service globally.

"The inaugural non-stop transatlantic flight by Condor Airlines marks a monumental step in our journey to elevate San Antonio into a global brand," declared Marc Anderson, President and CEO of Visit San Antonio. "Our data unequivocally demonstrates the demand within the San Antonio region for these flights. This data has not only struck a chord with Condor Airlines' executives but will also serve as a compelling narrative to entice other airlines, both domestically and internationally, as we continue to share the exciting stories of the ever-evolving San Antonio."

Ralf Teckentrup, CEO of Condor, said the airline is focused on providing quality service and good value.

"With our growing fleet of A330neos, we can provide better travel options to more Americans every year," Teckentrup said. "I am particularly proud to offer the only nonstop connection from San Antonio, Texas to Frankfurt, Germany – the heart of Europe, where travelers can enjoy the popular touristic sights of Germany or travel beyond conveniently by air, road or rail. I invite everyone to try out our newest and most luxurious in-flight experience ever."

Initially, Condor will operate flights three days a week under the following schedule:

Mondays:

Depart SAT at 10:05 p.m.; Arrive at FRA at 3:20 p.m. the next day Depart FRA at 3:40 p.m.; Arrive at SAT at 8:05 p.m.

Wednesdays/Fridays:

Depart SAT at 8:25 p.m.; Arrive at FRA at 1:40 p.m. the next day Depart FRA at 2:00 p.m.; Arrive at SAT at 6:25 p.m.

The anticipated flight times are:

San Antonio to Frankfurt: 10 hours, 15 minutes Frankfurt to San Antonio: 11 hours, 25 minutes

To book a flight on Condor Airlines, visit Condor.com. To learn more about all of SAT's nonstop destinations, please visit the airport's website at: https://flysanantonio.com/

Travelore Tips: The 5 Cheapest Ways To Fly To Europe

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Feeling adventurous? Aeroflot is offering low fares to Paris this winter.

There’s never been a better time to book, as a bunch of airlines—many you've probably never heard of—are competing for your business.

When you're looking to travel to Europe, it's always smart to comparison-shop for tickets. We've compiled a list of under-the-radar airlines that are safe, and most are reliable, but they don't include many frills. In exchange for discounted fares, many airlines charge for seat assignments, meals, and checked luggage. And none of these airlines offer much legroom. Still, if you do it right, you'll save hundreds of dollars over similar itineraries on American, United, Delta, or any of the big European airlines. Do your wallet a favor and look into these lesser-known international airlines.

Iceland's WOW Air got the Internet buzzing in the summer with $99 one-way fares to Paris and Amsterdam. Those deals are gone, but this winter you could pay as little as $400 round-trip from Boston or Baltimore to more than dozen cities, including London, Paris, Berlin, and Barcelona.

Don't expect to fly in total comfort, however. From the East Coast, you'll be on a short red-eye to Reykjavik, landing at about 4 a.m. to catch a connection. And luggage charges are draconian: Your only free bag is an 11-pound carry-on. Depending on where you go, putting one bag in the overhead bin could cost as much as $48. You won't save by checking bags, either. You first bag will set you back $67.

Wow Air is useful if you live near Baltimore or Boston, but for most Americans, Norwegian Air is a better bet, since it flies to Europe from Oakland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, New York, and Boston. Not every flight is cheap—some cost $600 or more round-trip this winter—but there are some steals, like Oakland–Stockholm for $325 and New York–London for $450.

Norwegian flies new Boeing 787s with mood lighting, big windows, and a modern entertainment system. You can bring a large carry-on for free, though if you buy the cheapest fares, you'll pay for checked bags and meals.

Germany's Condor Airlines mostly takes Europeans on cheap U.S. vacations, but don't let that stop you. In winter, Condor only flies between Frankfurt and Las Vegas, but in the warmer months Condor adds more cities, including Providence, Baltimore, Seattle, Minneapolis, and Austin.

You won't find eye-popping fares—Las Vegas–Frankfurt runs about $850 in February—but you'll have a refined experience that includes a hot meal, a free carry-on and checked bag, and basic in-flight entertainment.

If you wait until May, you might try WestJet Airlines, Canada's quirky Southwest Airlines clone, which flies to London, Glasgow, and Dublin during the busy spring and summer travel season. While WestJet focuses on Canadians, it wants to poach some Americans, selling flights from New York to London Gatwick, stopping in Toronto, for about $750 roundtrip. It offers similar deals from Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Francisco.

WestJet provides a comfortable ride—you'll get light snacks and a new entertainment system—with few fees. Even most bags fly free.

Feeling adventurous? You could try Aeroflot. You'll fly a circuitous route, but if you're okay stopping in Moscow, Russia's top airline can get you from New York to Paris this winter for $747, or from L.A. to Barcelona for $711.

Forget about what you know about Soviet-era airliners. Today's Aeroflot flies modern Airbus jets to the United States, and on service it receives three stars from airline ranking firm Skytrax—the same as United, American, and Delta. Plus, it's a full-service airline, so unless you pack heavy, you'll save on fees.

Written by Brian Sumers

 www.cntraveler.com

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