American Airlines Submits Application for Nonstop Service Between San Antonio and Washington, D.C.

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines has officially submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate daily, nonstop flights between San Antonio International Airport (SAT) and Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA). This move follows the signing of the 2024 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill in May, which awarded five new roundtrip flights serving DCA.

San Antonio, recognized as the fastest-growing city in the United States, boasts one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the country. Despite this, it remains the largest city in Texas without nonstop service to DCA and the largest city in the U.S. with a majority Hispanic population lacking such connectivity. Washington Reagan National is the most convenient airport for travelers visiting the nation’s capital.

American Airlines’ proposed service will complement its existing operations at SAT, which include over 25 daily departures to seven cities across the U.S. This new route will not only provide direct connectivity between San Antonio and Washington, D.C. but will also offer one-stop connections to destinations in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Canada.

“American is proud to submit an application to provide the only nonstop service between San Antonio and Washington, D.C.,” said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning. “This new service will expand American’s industry-leading domestic network connecting customers to the places they want to visit most.”

Jesus Saenz, Director of Airports for the San Antonio Airport System, added, “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. This is yet another step in our commitment to modernize our airport and improve the traveler experience.”

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg highlighted the importance of the new route, stating, “Nonstop access to the nation’s capital will strengthen our economic ties with leaders in Washington, D.C., and enable greater collaboration with the Pentagon, other federal agencies, and leading research institutions. We are grateful to American Airlines for partnering with us to establish this nonstop route that will greatly enhance our city’s prosperity.”

American Airlines plans to commemorate San Antonio’s rich history and significant military contributions with special flight numbers: Flight 1718, marking the year San Antonio was founded, and Flight 1947, celebrating the year the U.S. Air Force was established. The proposed operation details are as follows:

American Airlines is prepared to make necessary schedule adjustments to integrate the SAT-DCA service into DCA operations and the broader Washington, D.C. metropolitan airspace.

The application to DOT is supported by more than 150 letters from the San Antonio community, including bipartisan policymakers, mayors, military organizations, chambers of commerce, advocacy organizations, and nonprofits.

“American’s commitment to delivering the City of San Antonio a direct flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport represents an important step not just for the residents of Military City USA, but the entire Lone Star State,” said Sen. Ted Cruz. “I am proud to have led the fight to help deliver the five long-haul slots that we included in this year’s FAA reauthorization bill, and I will continue to press the U.S. Department of Transportation to quickly approve American’s application for the San Antonio route.”

Sen. John Cornyn added, “San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the country, and last year, more people moved to San Antonio than any other city in the U.S. After years of hard work from the Texas delegation in Congress and many leaders in Military City, USA, nonstop flights between San Antonio, Texas, and Washington, D.C., could be on the horizon, and I look forward to seeing American Airlines serve this route for visitors, businesses and our military.”

Congressman Joaquin Castro emphasized the benefits of the new route, stating, “American’s proposed direct flight will make travel easier for thousands of military, business, and leisure travelers and attract new jobs for our talented workforce. San Antonio is a world-class city, and a decision by the FAA to approve this direct flight to our nation’s capital would be an important step for our city’s growth.”

Congressman Chip Roy highlighted the significance for the military community, noting, “San Antonio is home to 82,000 active-duty military and civilian support personnel, tens of thousands of veterans, and is the seventh-largest city in the U.S. American’s partnership with San Antonio International is valuable to the people of our community and the ability for Texans to access a direct flight to our nation’s capital.”

American Airlines’ application marks a significant step towards enhancing connectivity between San Antonio and Washington, D.C., promising to benefit both the business and military communities in the region.