Just a quick word of warning, you almost always get the gate checked back on the Jetway. There have been a few cases recently though where a late night CRJ flight ended with the FA announcing that gate checked bags would be available at baggage claim. They were both flights that got into SAT after 1 or 2 am (those late night flights they add on during Fiesta in SAT) so I am guessing that small stations sometimes don't have the people to return bags to the Jetway outside of normal hours.