Southwest Airlines (Dallas) announced today that new service between Houston Hobby and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will begin on August 4, 2013. The airline initially will operate one daily roundtrip flight between the two cities.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently awarded slot exemptions for this service by selecting Southwest’s application over competing applications by other airlines to serve other cities from Reagan National Airport.

The new route completes a triad of nonstop service options between Houston and the metropolitan airports in Boston, New York, and Washington, DC.

Southwest has served Houston Hobby since June 18, 1971, and has more than 2,800 Houston-based employees and currently operates 153 daily departures from Hobby Airport. Earlier this year, the Houston City Council approved Southwest’s proposal to construct a new five-gate international facility at Hobby Airport. New near-international service on Southwest Airlines is scheduled to begin in 2015.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8H4 WL N8610A (msn 36635) completes its final approach into nearby Baltimore/Washington.

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