Delta Launching Seattle To Washington DCA Flights

Delta Air Lines is preparing to launch a new route that it was recently given permission to operate, and it’ll give Alaska Airlines some competition.

Delta adds Seattle to Washington flights in March 2025

As of March 9, 2025, Delta will add a new daily, year-round flight between Seattle (SEA) and Washington National (DCA). The new flight will operate with the following schedule:

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Seattle to Washington departing 7:23AM arriving 3:30PM
Washington to Seattle departing 4:40PM arriving 7:41PM

The 2,329-mile flight is blocked at 5hr7min eastbound and 6hr1min westbound. Delta intends to use an Airbus A321neo for the route, featuring 194 seats, including 20 first class seats.

Delta will be the second airline to operate this route, as Alaska currently flies in the market twice daily. Furthermore, Delta already flies between Seattle and Washington Dulles (IAD), so this will be Delta’s second flight between the Pacific Northwest and the Washington area.

Here’s how Delta President Glen Hauenstein describes this addition:

“Seattle is a key market for our customers, a crucial hub for Delta, and a premier west coast gateway. Delta commends the Department of Transportation for recognizing that additional service from DCA to Seattle will give consumers the much-needed competition and choice they deserve. We look forward to launching new, premium DCA service in March.”  

Delta isn’t just launching new service. It’s launching premium service!

This is a newly granted beyond-perimeter flight

For some background on why this new route is significant, keep in mind that Washington National Airport has a perimeter rule, which has been around since 1966, when jets started flying to the airport. This rule generally prohibits airlines from operating nonstop routes to and from the airport that are longer than 1,250 statute miles.

What’s the logic for the perimeter rule? Well, this was initially intended to protect Washington Dulles Airport as the transcontinental and international gateway for the area. The concern at the time was that Dulles Airport couldn’t thrive if National Airport wasn’t limited in this way.

However, there are a limited number of exceptions allowed. Up until recently, up to 40 daily domestic flights (20 roundtrips) could exceed the limit of the perimeter rule. During the recent FAA reauthorization bill, an agreement was reached for that to be expanded by 25%, so that there can now be up to 50 daily flights (25 roundtrips).

The selection process for awarding those additional slots was quite competitive, given the demand among airlines for them. In the end, the following routes and airlines were selected:

• American from San Antonio (SAT)
• Alaska from San Diego (SAN)
• Delta from Seattle (SEA)
• Southwest from Las Vegas (LAS)
• United from San Francisco (SFO)

Bottom line

Delta is adding a new daily route between Seattle and Washington National, made possible by five new beyond-perimeter slots recently being awarded. Delta will go head-to-head against Alaska, and this also complements Delta’s existing flight between Seattle and Washington Dulles.

What do you make of Delta adding Seattle to Washington National flights?