Waymo San Antonio International Airport Field Report

Key Waymo San Antonio Airport (SAT) Airport Field Report Findings

Waymo San Antonio Airport (SAT) Field Report

Grayson Brulte took a Waymo to San Antonio International Airport for a curbside drop off, then evaluated the airport pickup and rode from the airport to The Alamo. Our test covered the full journey, from approaching the terminal to curbside drop off, the pickup at the outer curb and the ride downtown.

Approaching the Airport at 15 Miles Per Hour

As we approached San Antonio International Airport, it looked like we were going slow compared to traffic. We were. 15 miles per hour is the speed limit at the airport, and Waymo always follows the speed limit.

We went up the departures ramp, with the arrivals lanes to our left, and around the corner to be dropped off at the curb.

Operating Under the San Antonio Airport (SAT) TNC Operating Agreement

Waymo’s operations at the San Antonio Airport (SAT) are governed by the SAT TNC Operating Agreement, which the city council signed into law on November 7, 2019. It was approved mainly for Uber, and it is now being used as the template for autonomous vehicles.

The agreement grants non exclusive use of designated pickup and drop off staging areas, which the airport can move at any time it sees fit. There is no curbside loitering. Most importantly, there is no exclusivity and there is no franchise.

The fee is $2.50 per pickup and drop-off at the airport. The airport can adjust that fee once a year with 60 days notice, up to a $5 cap.

Curbside Drop Off and Pickup

We were dropped off curbside at Terminal B. It was easy. No walking. Step out of the Waymo, walk into the airport, look to the right and there is TSA.

Pickup is just as simple. Get off the plane, head downstairs and follow the signs for ground transportation to the rideshare pickup in Zone 2 on the outer curb. Yes, curbside pickup is real. There is no 20 minute AirTrain ride like in San Francisco. In San Antonio, they do it right. The airport is very small and very clean, and the walk to the vehicle is short.

The Ride to the Alamo

What do you do in San Antonio if you have never been there? You head to The Alamo. That is where we were going.

Leaving the airport, we were again going very slow. The speed limit is 15 miles per hour in the inner airport until the outer rim, where it rises to 35 miles per hour. At first, we wondered if this was why the Waymo had paused for such a long time. It was not. It is merely the regulations.

Our ride from the airport to The Alamo was approximately 9.9 miles and lasted 33 minutes.

Pricing

The fare was $29.66, and with the $2.50 San Antonio airport fee, the total came to $32.16. The effective price was $3.25 per mile, or $3 per mile before the airport fee.

To put this into perspective, Uber was $24 and Lyft was $21. Yes, we paid a premium, but we got a consistent experience. A consistent experience is what works, and that is what consumers want.

Currently No Highway Access

We did not have highway access. Highway access in San Antonio is not open to the public, even to Early Rider. With highway access, the trip from the airport to downtown would take roughly 15 to 21 minutes depending on traffic. Our ride through city streets took 33 minutes. It was fine. It was simple. It was just great to be in the Waymo.

The Rider Experience

The pickup at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) was awesome. It was simple, it was easy and it was VIP, a very important passenger. Today that passenger was us. Grab your bags from the overhead, walk to the outer curb and get into the Waymo. That is the consistent experience Waymo offers.

Waymo is also offering the Ojai in San Antonio. We have seen two on the road, but we have not ridden in one yet.

Outlook

This is how airport pickups and drop-offs should work. In San Antonio, they do not make you take a train. It is a smaller airport, but curbside drop off and pickup works. When highway access opens, the ride will match the airport experience.