Summary

  • United Airlines and American Airlines apply for new DCA flights.
  • United seeks DCA-SFO flights, hoping to give its passengers more Western US and international connections.
  • American Airlines has applied for San Antonio (SAT) to DCA nonstop service.

United Airlines and American Airlines are among the seven airlines eligible to apply for new flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Both have already applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for new routes out of the airport, hoping to give new nonstop connections to passengers, if approved.

United Airlines applies for DCA-SFO flight

United has filed an application with DOT for a new daily return flight between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The airline is hoping for approval so its customers out of DCA can get access to more than 20 domestic markets within the Western US, as well as seven international destinations from San Francisco. Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances at United Airlines, commented,

“If awarded by the DOT, this new service will give customers a unique morning departure from Washington National and a unique afternoon departure from San Francisco, as well as more connectivity for both domestic and international travelers via SFO.”

United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 (N27287) taking off from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock

Indeed, United’s request for the new route aims to avoid DCA’s most congested travel times and offer a morning departure from the airport to San Francisco for the first time. The airline plans to deploy one of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which offers 150 economy cabin seats out of 166 seats. Alternatively, the carrier has also applied for its first-ever DCA-Los Angeles (LAX) flight if the SFO proposal doesn’t work out.

American Airlines applies for San Antonio route

American Airlines has also filed a similar application with the US Department of Transportation for a daily, nonstop service between San Antonio International Airport (SAT) and Washington Reagan National Airport.

As highlighted by American, San Antonio is the largest city in Texas as well as the largest city in the US with a majority Hispanic population without nonstop service to DCA. Jesus Saenz, Director of Airports for the San Antonio Airport System, commented,

“Adding a nonstop route to Reagan National Airport is part of our efforts to expand air operations for the San Antonio region. We’re grateful to American Airlines for their shared vision to improve connectivity and for helping us elevate our service options with a route that will be especially beneficial to our business and military communities.”

American Airlines Airbus A321-231 (N575UW) taking off.

Photo: Santiparp Wattanaporn | Shutterstock

American plans to use an Airbus A321 aircraft on this route, with the flight from SAT departing at 06:35 in the morning and the return flight from DCA taking off at 19:45. Of course, these depend on regulatory approvals.

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Vying for Reagan routes

Last month, the US Transportation Department produced a list of seven major airlines that are eligible to apply for five new flights. These are:

  1. American Airlines
  2. Delta Air Lines
  3. United Airlines
  4. Southwest Airlines
  5. JetBlue
  6. Air Canada
  7. Alaska Airlines
Delta Air Lines Boeing 757

Photo: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock

Delta plans to start a new route to Seattle from DCA, competing with Alaska Airlines, while Southwest is keen on a daily service between Washington and Las Vegas. Alaska Airlines wants to start a daily flight to Reagan from San Diego after carefully studying the passenger demand on this route.

Related

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