The Transportation Department has tentatively awarded five new long-haul flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to major airlines, including Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, and United Airlines. These new routes will connect Washington with cities like San Diego, San Antonio, Seattle, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. Many travelers prefer Reagan National for its proximity to downtown Washington compared to Dulles International Airport. Proposals from low-fare carriers like JetBlue, Frontier, and Spirit were rejected due to eligibility restrictions. Flights longer than 1,250 miles to Reagan National are strictly limited by federal law, but Congress approved enough new takeoff and landing rights to support five new daily round trips.
The Transportation Department announced that it will be accepting comments on its decision until October 30th, with answers to the comments permitted until November 8th. Airlines like Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, and United have been selected to offer new daily long-haul flights from major Western cities to Reagan National. This decision will provide travelers with more options when flying between Washington and cities like San Francisco and Seattle. Reagan National’s close proximity to downtown Washington makes it a convenient choice for many passengers, compared to Dulles International Airport.
The winning airlines and their planned routes include Alaska Airlines flying to and from San Diego International Airport, American Airlines to and from San Antonio International Airport, Delta to and from Seattle Tacoma International Airport, Southwest Airlines to and from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, and United Airlines to and from San Francisco International Airport. JetBlue Airways bid to add another flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico was rejected, and Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines were deemed ineligible due to restrictions limiting the contest to carriers already operating at Reagan National. The addition of these new flights will provide travelers with more options for long-haul flights from cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Denver to Reagan National.
In response to the Transportation Department’s announcement, Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine expressed concerns about the impact of additional flights at Reagan National, which already has the busiest runway in the country. Despite their objections, they pledged to exercise oversight to ensure passenger safety is not compromised. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) released a statement expressing interest in monitoring the process of adding new long-haul flights to Reagan National. The decision to award five new daily long-haul flights to major airlines will provide travelers flying between Washington and major Western cities with additional options and increased convenience, although concerns have been raised about the impact of these new flights on operations at Reagan National.
