Delta opposes American’s bid for DC-San Antonio flight amid new slot allocations

American Airlines is expected to secure one of the new slots to serve San Antonio. Senator Ted Cruz advocated for these new slots in the FAA Reauthorization Bill specifically to facilitate service to San Antonio, a large city currently without such service. Alaska Airlines will likely get San Diego due to its lack of non-stop service from National Airport.

Delta is expected to obtain Seattle despite it being a relatively weak request since there are already two Seattle flights operated by Alaska Airlines. Southwest will likely receive Las Vegas, increasing competition on that route already served by American.

If Alaska is considered a limited incumbent, another slot remains for either United or JetBlue. United seeks another San Francisco flight while JetBlue proposes a second San Juan flight. If Alaska is not considered limited, Spirit or Frontier might have a chance; Spirit's application for San Jose appears strongest among them.

Despite Delta's efforts, it seems inevitable that American Airlines will secure its slot for San Antonio as no other airline has proposed serving this route with a new slot award. Delta argues they could serve San Antonio using their current flexible beyond-perimeter slots but have chosen not to do so.

The situation highlights ongoing debates about anti-competitive practices within slot allocations at National Airport. Critics argue that the current system benefits incumbent business interests and should be reformed or replaced with congestion pricing to ensure fair access and efficient use of valuable landing rights.