WASHINGTON (7News) — In the wake of a U.S. House of Representatives vote approving more long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport (DCA), airlines have announced plans to launch daily non-stop flights between DCA and both San Diego and San Antonio.
On Wednesday American Airlines announced it will apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation to allow it to launch a daily direct flight between Reagan National Airport and San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
Also Wednesday, Alaska Airlines announced it will apply to run a direct flight between DCA and San Diego International Airport (SAN).
ALSO READ | Metro’s new bus system proposal could eliminate more than 600 stops, rename routes
Southwest Airlines told 7News it also planned to apply for one of the new round-trip flights, but has not yet said to which city.
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and part of the bill included permission for five additional 1,250-plus-mile round-trip flights a day at Reagan National Airport. The Senate had already passed the bill, and it is expected to be signed by President Biden within the next day.
Currently, a rule called the “perimeter rule” only permits 20 round-trip long-distance flights a day (20 coming and 20 going) at DCA, so the new FAA bill will raise that number to 25.
If the President signs the FAA reauthorization bill as expected, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg would have 60 days to award the five new daily long-distance flights to airlines. He is supposed to consider two criteria: bringing flights to airports that currently don’t have service with DCA, and bringing flights to areas where the flights will have a positive impact on the level of competition.
Alaska already operates two daily long-distance flights between Reagan National and Seattle, as well as one flight between DCA and Los Angeles and another one to and from Portland, Oregon.
American already runs two round trip flights a day to Los Angeles, as well as three to Phoenix and one to Las Vegas.
ALSO READ | Union Station redevelopment progressing with completion of new design study
In addition those 1,250+ mile flights, Southwest runs a daily trip to and from Austin, Frontier has three to and from Denver, United also has one between DCA and Denver in addition to one to and from San Francisco, JetBlue has a round trip flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Delta operates one flight between Reagan and Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco.
Although supporters of the change to the perimeter rule say it will increase competition, drive down prices, and give travelers more choices, the change was controversial.
Opponents – including D.C. and Maryland senators and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority – said DCA is already very busy and the change will increase delays and congestion. Some critics say the change will even potentially be dangerous because so many flights take off and land throughout the day; they point to a near miss at DCA last month.