San Antonio’s long-standing quest for nonstop air access to Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., may finally come to fruition with the passage of new legislation. For years, the city has worked tirelessly to secure direct flights to DCA, involving multiple presidential administrations. The Perimeter Rule, established in 1966, has been a regulatory barrier that has prevented San Antonio from having direct access to the airport.
However, with Congress on the verge of approving new legislation that would free up more slots for flights to and from DCA, San Antonio is optimistic that this bill will pass. Representative Joaquin Castro of San Antonio believes that this is the closest they have come in quite some time to gaining the nonstop route to DCA. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and others argue that this rule has created an economic divide between San Antonio and the Washington area for too long.
The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act legislation could include five new slots for flights to and from DCA. Castro is optimistic that this bill will pass as the current Senate version already includes expanded access. Without this legislation, it could be many more years before Congress revisits the Perimeter Rule.
San Antonio is the largest U.S. city without nonstop flights to DCA despite smaller markets like Tulsa, Akron and Cedar Rapids having direct flights to the airport. The city has been pushing for this access for a long time and believes that it is finally within reach with hope being brought an end to San Antonio’s struggle for nonstop air access to Washington, DC
