San Angelo Regional Airport (IATA: SJT, ICAO: KSJT, FAALID: SJT), (Mathis Field) serves San Angelo in Tom Green County, Texas, United States. The airport covers 1,517 acres (614 ha) and has three runways.[1] It has free parking.
The airport, originally Carr Field, was built in 1941 by the United States Army Air Forces as a pilot training airfield. Activated on 1 June 1942, the airfield was assigned to the AAF Gulf Coast Training Center, with the Army Air Force Pilot School (Bomber and Specialized 2/4-Engine) activated (phase 3 pilot training). The school's mission was to train cadets to fly transports and bombers. It was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers on 30 June 1946. Later, the facility was disposed of by the War Assets Administration and deeded to the local government.
After receiving strong growth of 5.3% in enplanements per year, Mathis Field was in need of new facilities.[2]
Nearly $4.9 million were acquired to start construction. The crown jewel of the project was the terminal and apron that was built in 1955. The terminal has had the baggage claim area expanded to ease congestion, two new jetways were added, and more room was made available for the TSA as new X-ray machines were to be installed as required for every commercial airport.[3]
San Angelo Regional Airport is classified as Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Index B, which makes the facility capable of handling regularly scheduled Boeing 737 Classic aircraft.
Facilities
The airport is open 24 hours, but the control tower is operated by FAA contract employees and is staffed from 7:00 am until 9:00 pm.[4]
Many new services have been built since 2008 to replace facilities or add convenience for the general aviation public. Much of the newly constructed services include a general aviation terminal, maintenance and fuel facilities, hangars, T-hangars, and tie downs. With the new additions, the site is capable of holding about 170 aircraft. The tie downs are available at no cost.[6]
In the year ending December 31, 2022, 131 aircraft were based at the airport. In 2022, there were 78,947 aircraft operations, average 216 per day.[1]
Continental Airlines began flying to San Angelo in the 1940s and in 1948 was flying Douglas DC-3s San Antonio - San Angelo - Big Spring - Midland/Odessa - Hobbs- Carlsbad - El Paso - Albuquerque - Santa Fe - Las Vegas, NM- Pueblo- Colorado Springs - Denver.[7] By 1951 Continental Convair 240s flew the same basic San Antonio - Denver multi-stop route but no longer stopped at Big Spring or Las Vegas.[8] Continental operated the first turbine airliners to San Angelo, Vickers Viscounts, and by 1963 was flying Houston Hobby Airport - Austin - San Angelo - Midland/Odessa - El Paso - Tucson - Phoenix - Los Angeles and direct to Lubbock and Amarillo via Midland/Odessa.[9] Continental left San Angelo in 1963.[10]
In 1949 Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) 21-seat Douglas DC-3s flew Dallas Love Field - Fort Worth - Brownwood - Coleman - San Angelo - Fort Stockton - Marfa/Alpine - El Paso.[11] By 1961 TTa Convair 240s were flying San Angelo - Brownwood, TX - Fort Worth - Dallas Love Field - Texarkana - Hot Springs - Little Rock - Pine Bluff - Memphis while its DC-3s flew nonstop to Dallas Love Field, San Antonio and Midland/Odessa and direct to El Paso and Shreveport.[12] In 1966 all TTa flights into San Angelo were Convair 600s with nonstop service to Austin, Abilene, Brownwood and Midland/Odessa and one-stop to Dallas Love Field, Houston Hobby Airport and El Paso.[13] Trans-Texas Airways changed its name to Texas International Airlines in 1969.
Texas International (TI) operated the first jets to San Angelo and in 1970 its Douglas DC-9-10s flew nonstop to Austin, Abilene and Midland/Odessa and direct to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Houston Intercontinental Airport, San Antonio and El Paso.[14] In 1976 San Angelo even had international service of a sorts as Texas International DC-9s flew four days a week to Mexico City via Abilene, Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston according to the Official Airline Guide (OAG).[15] This OAG lists TI DC-9 service to San Angelo from Austin, Laredo, McAllen and San Antonio in Texas and from Abilene, Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. By 1978 all TI flights at the airport were DC-9s with four a day to Dallas/Fort Worth via a stop in Abilene.[16] The airline merged into Continental Airlines in 1982 and soon left San Angelo.
A number of companies offer taxi and shuttle service throughout San Angelo and the surrounding Tom Green County Area. Transportation Network Companies, such as Uber and Lyft, also provide service at the airport.
The airport is served onsite by Avis, and Budget car rental companies. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is available off site. The airport was previously served by Dollar, Hertz and Thrifty, but services ceased in July 2019.
