Different approaches that aim to extend scan range of phased array antennas by means of altering surface waves and/or altering the coupling are disclosed. One approach includes providing a phased array antenna where a surface of a substrate that houses antenna elements of the array includes openings such as trenches or grooves. Such openings in the surface effectively reduce the dielectric constant of the substrate, are easy to manufacture, and may reduce or eliminate the need to use exotic and expensive low-k dielectric materials. Another approach includes providing a phased array antenna where antenna elements are disposed over a substrate in the form of surface mount (SMT) components that are reduced in size/footprint. Using SMT antenna elements with a reduced size allows achieving the same gain while spacing antenna elements farther apart with gaps in between the antenna elements, thus also reducing the overall dielectric constant of the substrate.