There is something of a dilemma in San Antonio’s airport problem of not enough carriers to enough destinations with enough nonstop flights.

Much of this is certainly a matter of demand — a case of airlines acting on data that suggest there are not as many business or pleasure travelers in San Antonio as, say, Austin, Dallas or Houston.

The dilemma: The kinds of corporations that require employees to fly often — or pay high enough wages so their workers can fly with some frequency on their own — won’t choose to locate here unless they view San Antonio International Airport as already more friendly in this regard.

This is why it makes some sense for the city to provide incentives. The city’s aviation officials are recommending this to the City Council. Boiled down, this is about creating the conditions that attract the businesses that will then provide the travelers.

Yes, it’s a gamble — particularly given the duration of the incentives. For instance, the city would waive landing fees for one year for routes to unserved markets, and the same amount of time and fees to unserved and specified target markets, such as Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Portland and Raleigh/Durham. More fees will be waived for a year to entice new carriers.

OK, so what happens if, even with these incentives, these routes are still not profitable? The council should ponder whether 12 months is enough or whether there should be an extension possible if the routes are indeed unprofitable.

City aviation officials are also proposing to give airlines money to market routes, and they’ve also targeted some international destinations, mostly in Mexico.

Incentives at San Antonio International Airport are not new. But these new incentives will be waived and paid upfront rather than as rebates. Officials cite some successes with the previous round — nonstop flights to Miami and New Orleans.

And there’s still risk that San Antonio will continue to hemorrhage passengers to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. But economic development — and this is what this plan is — nearly always contains some element of risk. Successful cities often take such gambles.

Building a regional airport with Austin at some point makes sense as a longer-term solution if the myriad hurdles can be surmounted. We’re thinking of a recent eye-popping $69 trip — on Uber — for a 25-mile or so trek from Denver’s airport to the city.

In the interim, the City Council should approve this incentive plan, improving on it if possible.