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Southwest Bringing New Service & More Low Fares to Washington, D.C.

millie-richter-
Frequent Flyer C
Southwest Airlines is excited to announce that we have successfully purchased of 54 slots—allowing 27 additional daily fights—in a blind auction, which will allow us to provide additional competition to Washington D.C.’s downtown airport, Reagan National (DCA). Southwest’s Chairman President, & CEO Gary Kelly had this to say about the successful transaction:  “Consumers who appreciate the value and reliability that Southwest and our People deliver are the real winners in this deal.  With Southwest’s all-Boeing 737 fleet, we will provide Reagan travelers with more choices, lower fares, and great Customer services. Reagan has long been a convenient but high fare airport.  Southwest plans to change that by bringing much needed competition to the nation’s capital.” Details of the bid on divested slots at DCA will remain confidential under the terms of the deal. The slots that Southwest purchased at DCA became available as a result of a settlement of litigation last fall by the U.S. Department of Justice against the merger of American Airlines and US Airways.  The additional permissions to operate new flights will increase service from 17 daily departures to 44—that’s 27 additional daily flights.  Destinations, flight schedules, and fares will be announced in the first quarter, with flying to begin in the third quarter. So, stay tuned! Can’t wait to get to the nation’s capital?  You already have many options on Southwest.  In addition to Southwest’s presence at DCA and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Southwest offers the greater Baltimore/Washington region more than 200 daily departures from Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) to nearly 60 cities and, beginning on July 1, will offer new daily service on Southwest between BWI and Aruba, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, launching a new international chapter for both the carrier and Maryland’s largest airport.  Additionally, this announcement comes on the heels of Monday’s news that new service between Kansas City and DCA will begin on February 1—so you can start planning your trip to see the Cherry Blossoms!