AA does to DCA-LAX on a 321-NEO but that aircraft is subject to some limitations - requirements for takeoff clearance, path clearance, etc. On very low wind days, high temps, and with a full load and fuel, the NEOs typically can only use Runway 19.

Why 19 and not 1/19. Blast pad areas are the same, as well as runway length (obviously) so how would 19 be doable but not 1?

Because of the the obstructions to the North (Rosslyn) and the Mall Complex (necessitating an immediate turn to the northwest). We sat for over 90 minutes back in late August waiting for the traffic to clear up for an opposite direction departure (regular arrivals / departures were on Runway 1). We could not accept 1 owing limitations. Suffice it to say, those obstructions don't exist on the departure end of 19.

In talking to a friend who is a dispatcher, we had a bad trio of issues: 1) winds calm, 2) heavy fuel and passenger/baggage load, and 3) high morning temperatures.

You see this also at SAN when heavies (A350s, 777s etc) have to wait for a break in traffic to depart on Rwy 27 when regular arrivals/departures are using 9.

That's an interesting anecdote, opting to wait 90 minutes to run the full length of 19, in lieu of eating some bumped pax -- whatever the downstrem effects were of subsequent misconnects or whatever else, that implies getting out of DCA full (or as close to it as the runway performance physically allows for your plane on that route notionally) is worth sitting the 90 minutes. Obviously as a layman, I recognize that operational conditions might have been such that the only acceptable weight reducation would have been problematic in it's own right, say a couple dozen or more pax for the sake of discussion (as in not just 6-10 pax to get juuuuust below what you can manage off of 1).

Well, we'll see what happens. Several carriers filed objections to the awards: focusing mostly on AS's award as a limited-incumbent but also some shade being thrown on UA's award.

I don't expect any of these arguments to suddenly change the DOT's mind; they'll likely issue a final order quickly that will match the tentative order. One of these airlines would need to sue to stop the award at this point, and then convince a judge to stop the proceeding. That's an extremely high bar and highly unlikely to happen.

The shade at UA's SFO service seems more for strategic reasons, with Spirit trying to improve the value of their SJC offering (because SFO is so close), rather than an actual objection to awarding UA a flight.

Finally starting to see the new flights go into schedules:

Alaska - SAN
https://news.alaskaair.com/company/a...nstop-service/
AS 14 departs SAN 2:10 p.m. arrives DCA 9:55 p.m. (starts March 17)
AS 15 departs DCA 8:00 a.m. arrives SAN 10:35 a.m. (starts March 18)
Really nice to see the am departure from DCA with pm return from SAN! B738 service.

American - SAT
https://news.aa.com/news/news-detail...io-NET-RTS-12/
A321 aircraft.
AA 1718 departs SAT 6:35 a.m. arrives DCA 10:37 a.m. (starts March 3)
AA 1947 departs DCA 7:45 p.m. arrives SAT 10:49 p.m. (starts March 2)

Delta - SEA
https://news.delta.com/delta-launche...ice-march-2025
Service starts March 9 with A321 aircraft. No info in press release, but from loaded schedules:
DL 786 departs SEA 7:23 a.m. arrives DCA 3:29 p.m.
DL 786 departs DCA 4:40 p.m. arrives SEA 7:41 p.m.

Southwest - LAS
https://www.swamedia.com/news-and-st...ZMEQD72FEU2GUI
Daily service begins on Thursday, March 6 with 73G aircraft:
WN 4993 departs LAS 8:30 a.m. arrives DCA 3:50 p.m.
WN 5012 departs DCA 4:30 p.m. arrives LAS 6:55 p.m.

United - SFO
No press release, but from loaded schedules (service on 7M8):
UA 2715 departs SFO 12:50 p.m. arrives DCA 8:58 p.m. (starts FEB 13)
UA 2716 departs DCA 7:00 a.m. arrives SFO 10:21 a.m. (starts FEB 14)
Another nice win for DCA-based travelers!