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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) will see five new flights added that will each span over 1,250 miles. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just approved a bill that will allow the five new beyond-perimeter slots to be added that can each accommodate a flight that breaches the past limitation of the airport. The appeal of the airport is that it is much closer to the city than the other DC-area airports and therefore has greater appeal for politicians and tourists alike.
The perimeter rule was introduced in January 1966. It limited flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to 1,250 miles or less. The thought was that longhaul flights would operate out of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and noise pollution would be reduced for DC residents. This is similar to the perimeter rule at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) that was introduced in 1984 and limits flights to 1,500 miles or less. There are exceptions on Saturdays and to/from Denver International Airport (DEN) every day.
American Airlines intends to launch a new route from Washington D.C. (DCA) to San Antonio (SAT).
SAT Airport has announced a partnership with American to establish the route with one of DCA’s new beyond-perimeter slots coming from the FAA reauthorization bill.
The new slots are… pic.twitter.com/fzp9wNDVr0
— Ishrion Aviation (@IshrionA) May 15, 2024
It has not yet been decided or released as to which airlines will claim these slots, but there are some rumblings with potential contenders. American Airlines wants to fly to/from San Antonio International Airport (SAT). Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio, said:
We have been working for more than a decade to give residents of America’s seventh-largest city the same access to our nation’s leaders as nearly every other major city in the country. I am grateful for the hard work of Senator Cruz and our entire congressional delegation and look forward to Secretary Buttigieg’s approval of American’s application to initiate nonstop service from Military City USA to DCA.”
🔴 Alaska Airlines plans to launch a new route from San Diego (SAN) to Washington D.C. (DCA), pending approval from the FAA reauthorization bill and slot allocation by the DOT. #Airways #News pic.twitter.com/cQHguXJhks
— Airways Magazine (@airwaysmagazine) May 16, 2024
Alaska Airlines intends to launch a flight to/from San Diego International Airport (SAN). Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines Chief Commercial Officer, said:
San Diego is the largest market without nonstop service to Reagan National Airport. This new route would not only connect southern Californians to our nation’s capital, but it would also provide seamless connectivity on Alaska Airlines’ diverse routes allowing guests to connect through San Diego.”
DL: seeking SLC-DCA and SEA-DCA.
— 🇺🇦 JonNYC 🇺🇦 (@xJonNYC) May 16, 2024
Delta Air Lines is rumored to be looking at adding flights to/from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) or Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
That leaves questions as to whether United Airlines will try to secure a slot. The carrier has been against lifting the perimeter rule as its nearby hub at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) will see the most competition from any of these added routes. That’s not to say that it won’t want a slot at DCA. Who the fifth slot goes to is up in the air and we’ll need to wait and see who applies and what’s approved.
Anthony’s Take: With the lifting of the perimeter rule for these five slots, it will be interesting to see what’s granted and which cities will have better access to Washington DC.
(Featured Image Credit: Harold Mendoza.)
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3 comments
Are international destinations in the cards? I could see British Air wanting to operate an A318 from LCY to DCA, similar to what they currently do with JFK.
BA retired their A318s and hasn’t run that route since the pandemic. Also, there’s no CBP immigration facility at DCA. Even if they wanted to/had the planes to do it and could get approval, they’d have to run the flights through a preclearance site like Shannon to do it
DL had a slot to SLC and moved it to LAX so they probably would ask for SEA.
Southwest wants DEN.
Frontier could ask for SJU or LAS.