WASHINGTON – The Transportation Department has tentatively awarded room for five new daily long-haul flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to five of the nation's biggest airlines while rejecting proposals from some low-fare carriers.
The routes announced Wednesday would offer more options to travelers flying between Washington and major Western cities including San Francisco and Seattle.
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The Transportation Department said it will take comments on its decision until Oct. 30, then allow answers to the comments until Nov. 8.
Many travelers prefer the convenience of Reagan National, which is a short Metro subway ride away from downtown Washington, to Dulles International Airport, located more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of the nation’s capital.
Flights longer than 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) to Reagan National are strictly limited by federal law, but under pressure from Delta Air Lines and others, Congress this year approved enough new takeoff and landing rights to support five new daily round trips.
Here are the winning airlines and their planned routes:
— Alaska Airlines, service to and from San Diego International Airport.
— American Airlines, to and from San Antonio International Airport in Texas.
— Delta, to and from Seattle Tacoma International Airport.
— Southwest Airlines, to and from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
— United Airlines, to and from San Francisco International Airport.
The Transportation Department rejected a bid by JetBlue Airways to add another flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The department ruled that Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines weren't eligible because Congress limited the contest to carriers that already operate flights at Reagan National.
The new flights will add to the limited number of current long flights to the close-in airport from cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Denver.