What's flying over San Antonio right now?

What you're seeing over San Antonio

Over San Antonio, a plane overhead is about as likely to be military as civilian. San Antonio International, about eight miles north of downtown, is the city's main airport, served mostly by Southwest, American, Delta and United. But the city also hosts Joint Base San Antonio, which includes Randolph and Lackland, giving the area one of the densest concentrations of military flying in the country.

Randolph trains Air Force flight instructors, so T-6 and T-38 training aircraft fly circuits and practice maneuvers over the northeast side. Lackland's Kelly Field, on the southwest side, is home to the Air Force Reserve's C-5M Super Galaxy transports, among the largest aircraft in the world. Add business jets at Stinson and San Antonio International, and medevac helicopters for the city's large medical centers, and San Antonio's sky is busier than you might expect. When a sleek white jet streaks past too fast for an airliner, our guide to airliners, bizjets and military aircraft will help you pin it down.

Airports near San Antonio

• commercialSATSan Antonio International Airport
  KSAT · 8 miles north of downtown
  The city's main airport, north of downtown, with Southwest as the largest carrier. Live traffic at SAT ↗
• militarySKFKelly Field (JBSA-Lackland)
  KSKF · 6 miles southwest of downtown
  Home to the Air Force Reserve's C-5M Super Galaxies and shared with Port San Antonio's aerospace companies. Live traffic at SKF ↗
• militaryRNDJBSA-Randolph
  KRND · 15 miles northeast of downtown
  The Air Force's flight instructor training base, with T-6 and T-38 aircraft. Live traffic at RND ↗
• general aviationSSFStinson Municipal Airport
  KSSF · 6 miles south of downtown
  One of the oldest continuously operating airports in the US, south of downtown. Live traffic at SSF ↗

Common traffic over San Antonio

Southwest is SAT's largest airline, flying 737-800s and MAX 8s, while American, Delta, United, Alaska and Allegiant add more. A few international flights connect San Antonio with Mexico.

SAT's main runways run northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast. With prevailing south winds off the Gulf, arrivals often approach from the north over Stone Oak and the northern suburbs and departures climb out to the south over the city.

Military flying is the big story:

• Randolph trains Air Force instructor pilots in T-6 Texan II turboprops and T-38 Talon jets, which fly patterns and practice areas over northeast Bexar and Guadalupe counties.
• Kelly Field hosts the 433rd Airlift Wing's C-5M Super Galaxies. Boeing and other aerospace companies at Port San Antonio maintain and modify large military and government aircraft, so unusual visitors appear too.
• Army helicopters, including Black Hawks, sometimes visit Fort Sam Houston and Brooke Army Medical Center.

Civilian helicopters include San Antonio AirLIFE and other medevac services, San Antonio Police and news crews. Overflights between Texas cities and Mexico pass at cruise altitude, and summer heat and spring storms can bring turbulence and delays. SAT is close enough to Alamo Heights and downtown that some approaches give passengers a clear view of the city, and spring storms rolling in off the Hill Country can bring sudden reroutes and holding.

Aircraft you'll often see here

Plane-spotting tips for San Antonio

The roads around SAT's perimeter, especially near the runway ends along Wetmore Road and the north side, give views of arrivals and departures. Stinson Municipal Airport, on the south side, has a historic terminal and is easy to visit. Randolph's T-38s can often be seen from the roads around Universal City. From downtown, look north toward SAT. Summer heat can produce haze, while spring and fall offer clearer days. Port San Antonio, on the grounds of the former Kelly Air Force Base, sometimes gives glimpses of C-5Ms in the pattern and of large aircraft outside the maintenance hangars. Randolph's famous headquarters tower, nicknamed the Taj Mahal, is visible from nearby roads, though the base itself requires access. On weekdays, pairs of T-38s often pass overhead in close formation.

San Antonio sky questions

Nearby cities

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