FAA grants tentative approval to direct flights between San Antonio and Washington D.C.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to grant San Antonio International Airport one of the 10 new round-trip direct flights from Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport. The announcement of tentative approval was made on Wednesday.
San Antonio's local elected leaders and the entire congressional delegation battled for years to make such flights possible between the two cities, often pointing to the need to better connect "Military City USA" with the Pentagon in the nation's capital.
"Today marks a significant milestone for San Antonio as we get one step closer to securing a nonstop flight between SAT and DCA," said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg in a statement.
He added: "This connectivity between San Antonio and our nation's capital is long overdue and will benefit our community in many ways. I'm grateful for the unwavering support of our local leaders and the bipartisan backing of our congressional delegation. We are excited about the opportunities this will bring for economic growth, boosting both our business and military communities."
Democratic San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro was among the legislators who worked to secure the additional direct flights as part of the FAA Authorization Act of 2024. He said the flights will also benefit others outside of the military community.
"When finalized, these direct flights will make it easier for San Antonio's business sector, including our growing cybersecurity industry, to work directly with the federal government to support job growth and economic development at home," Castro said.
Castro's office said that for years, 96 U.S. cities with smaller populations have had direct flights to Washington, including Tulsa, Oklahoma, Akron, Ohio and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz also fought for the flights. "This new route will make travel more efficient for military personnel, business travelers, or simply families visiting their nation's capital," Cornyn said in a statement, "and I was proud to work with Senator Cruz and countless others to make this major win for 'Military City, USA' a reality."
San Antonio is the nation's seventh largest city and is quickly gaining ground on Philadelphia, the nation's sixth largest. San Antonio has been the fastest or among the fastest growing cities in the nation in recent years, according to U.S. Census officials.
