Ronald Reagan Washington National is the only one of the region’s three major airports that will see a bump up in available seats on flights as the calendar flips from 2022 to 2023, according to new data.
The air-carrier trade group Airlines for America says that there will be 8.5 percent more aircraft seats serving Reagan National during the first quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.
Meanwhile, Washington Dulles International Airport will see about the same number of seats (down 0.3%) while Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport will see a steeper decline (5.9%).
Figures are based on current flight information published by airlines.
Of the nation’s 65 largest airports, total seats will be up in 30 and down in 35 compared to the same quarter in 2019, with 16 airports seeing double-digit growth and eight posting double-digit declines.
The biggest gainers: Austin (up 54.9%) and Charleston, S.C. (49.6%). Those with the biggest declines: Milwaukee (down 22.2%) and Oakland (off 20.8%).
Three of the nation’s largest full-service airlines – Delta, American and Southwest – will have fewer seats available in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2019, while leisure-centric carriers like Frontier, Spirit and Allegiant will be boosting service (up 45.6%, 36.4% and 23.2%, respectively).