The Department of Transportation (DOT) has tentatively approved new nonstop flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to San Antonio and San Diego, marking the first time such routes will be available from Arlington, Virginia.
This decision is part of a congressional compromise earlier this year aimed at expanding air traffic from National Airport.
Five airlines have received preliminary approval for new round-trip flights, as announced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday. The selected airlines and their destinations include:
- American Airlines: San Antonio International Airport
- Alaska Airlines: San Diego International Airport
- Southwest Airlines: Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas)
- United Airlines: San Francisco International Airport
- Delta Air Lines: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
While the specific times for these flights are yet to be determined, the FAA noted that several slots between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. are already fully booked. Existing nonstop routes from DCA include flights to Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Seattle, but demand has outstripped the current offerings.
The addition of these flights comes amid ongoing discussions about air traffic expansion in the Washington, DC area, where National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport are the only two major commercial airports created by Congress. The number and distance of flights at National Airport are regulated by federal lawmakers, and there has been opposition from local officials who cite concerns over runway capacity and noise pollution.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was instrumental in securing the agreement for the new flights, advocating for a direct route to San Antonio. Despite United Airlines expressing concerns about the expansion’s potential impact on airport congestion, the airline ultimately submitted a proposal for early morning and late evening flights that it argued would benefit consumers.
The last long-distance flights added at National Airport were in 2012. While initial proposals suggested adding as many as 28 new round-trip routes, the FAA cautioned that a significant increase in flights could lead to further delays at an airport already facing congestion, with one in five flights currently arriving late.
“This modest expansion will provide new direct flight options to and from the nation’s capital… These five new flights will foster competition and are a significant win for consumers,” said Brian Walsh, spokesman for the Delta-backed Capital Access Alliance.
With input from the Washington Post.
