Southwest begins service to DC-Reagan

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Southwest Airlines now offers one daily non-stop flight from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

The first flight took off from ABIA Sunday afternoon.

A press conference will be held Monday to formally introduce the service. Among the officials attending the press conference are Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Rep. Michael McCaul.

Service is already offered the two other major airports in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. United Airlines offers non-stop service to Dulles International Airport, and Southwest offers service to its focus city in Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Southwest's service to Reagan will be the fourth new non-stop for ABIA this year, and its 38th destination overall. Service has already begun to Cancun, Atlanta, and Portland, Ore., in 2012. Airport officials say another non-stop route will soon be added: US Airways will begin service to Philadelphia in September.

Normally, service is only allowed to Reagan from airports that are within 1,250 miles of it. However, in February, Congress passed legislation creating additional "slot exemptions" that allow flights beyond the 1,250-mile perimeter.

One of the slots was awarded to Southwest for its service between Austin and Reagan.

Reservations on the Southwest Airlines website are currently open through Jan. 4, 2013.