A surface acoustic wave (SAW) device package and method for packaging a SAW device provide a surface excited device having a small footprint, low cost and streamlined manufacturing process. A substrate including a SAW active area on a first side is interconnected to external circuits and mechanically mounted via a plurality of metal pillars and an outer metal sealing wall. The sealing wall additionally provides protection from external environmental contamination and interference. The sealing wall may include a number of gaps to reduce stress due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients between the SAW substrate and the metal sealing wall and the gaps may be filled with a flexible sealant. The metal pillars may be round, square or other suitable shape and solder bump terminals may be added to the ends of the pillars and the bottom edge of the sealing wall.