Washingtonians may soon be able to fly direct from Dulles International Airport to the increasingly in-demand city of Beijing.
The U.S. Department of Transportation gave the go-ahead to United Airlines Tuesday to offer nonstop service between Washington and China beginning March 25. Final approval for the new route is expected within the month. United was chosen over three other airlines that also filed applications with the federal government for the lucrative route. American Airlines had offered a Dallas/Fort Worth-Beijing route, a Continental Newark a New Jersey-Shanghai route and Northwest Airlines a Detroit-Shanghai route.
“It’s not every day we get the opportunity to make flying more convenient, support airlines and boost the economy by proposing to make it easier to fly between the world’s two most dynamic economies,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters in a statement.
The decision comes after months of high-profile lobbying campaigns by the airlines and local airports. The coveted route represents millions in potential revenue, as well as a foot in the door of a burgeoning business market. According to figures from the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis, the new route could bring between $275.6 and $333.1 million in additional revenue into the Washington region and create anywhere from 3,395 to 4,123 new jobs.
The new route also represents the potential for additional business contracts, a major reason why area economic development officials pushed for the service.
“Whenever air service to new markets opens up, there is a significant increase in activity between local businesses and those markets,” said Gerald Gordon, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, in a statement. “That new business will translate into new jobs, wealth generation and additional tax revenues from which Fairfax County can provide public services.”
Dulles and United lobbied for the Washington route by positioning the region as an untapped market. For example, the Washington region is currently the largest U.S.-Beijing market without nonstop service. Several other major U.S. cities already offer direct flights, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
