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Sunport, United Airlines announce new nonstop flight to DC-area airport
A United Airlines jet waits to board passengers in April 2024 at the Albuquerque International Sunport. The airline in May will launch a daily, nonstop flight between the Sunport and the Dulles International Airport in the Washington, D.C., area.
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United Airlines this spring will add a daily, nonstop flight between the Albuquerque International Sunport and Dulles International Airport in the Washington, D.C., area.
Sunport officials announced the nonstop flight on Friday, saying the service will start May 22. The flight is the 32nd nonstop out of the Sunport, according to airport officials. The Dulles International Airport is located in Dulles, Virginia, about a 40-minute drive from Downtown Washington.
The United flight follows another nonstop flight announced last year by Southwest Airlines, with the airline offering daily service between the Sunport and Nashville International Airport starting in early April.
The route will see United fly up to 126 passengers at a time in the Airbus A319, what airport officials described in a news release as a “state-of-the-art mainline aircraft.”
A Sunport spokesperson told the Journal that the route to Dulles ended in 2014 and “flew for many years,” though she didn’t know exactly for how long. Southwest also offers a daily, nonstop flight from the Sunport to the D.C. area, although it flies to the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
In announcing the D.C.-area flight, Mayor Tim Keller said “direct access” to the nation’s capital “means more opportunities for Burqueños — whether it’s advocating for New Mexico, expanding business connections or simply exploring one of the most historic cities in the country.”
“Bringing this route back is a win for travelers, a boost for our local economy and a testament to Albuquerque’s growing influence as a key destination,” Keller said.
United owns the third-largest market share at the Sunport at 13.5%, according to a November 2024 passenger activity report. Southwest owns the largest share at 49.2%.
