Finally. We’ve been talking about this for years, but US Airways is filling into two significant holes in its route map from Charlotte: Des Moines, IA and Omaha, NE. These are two of the largest markets within 1,200 miles or so without nonstop service to Charlotte. And from US Airway’s perspective, they are relative low cost and low risk, as the airline already flies to both from Phoenix. And yes, Charlotte is closer to both than Phoenix. Des Moines will be twice a day on 50-seat regional gets while Omaha is twice a day on a CRJ700 large regional jet that seats 67 and has a first-class section.

DCA slot swap, round one: The Des Monies and Omaha flights start on March 25, the same day as the first phase of the US Airways/Delta slot swap. US Airways is giving 132 slots at New York’s LaGuardia airport to get 42 slots at Washington Reagan National airport (DCA) in two phases. Service that US airways is adding from DCA on March 25, sorted by whether the city in question was on the original list of places to be added from DCA when the slot swap was first proposed back in the summer of 2009:

On the original list and added: Birmingham (3 x CRJ), Islip (2 x CRJ), Little Rock (2 x E70), Ottawa (3 x CRJ), Pensacola (2 x CRJ), Savannah (1 x CRJ), Tallahassee (1 x CRJ)

Not on the original list but added: Bangor (2 x CRJ), Fayetteville, NC (1 x CRJ); Ft. Walton Beach, FL (1 x CRJ); Jacksonville, NC (1 x CRJ); Memphis (3 x CRJ), Omaha (1 x E70)

On the original list but not added (yet): Cincinnati, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Ithica, Madison, Montreal, Miami, Myrtle Beach

(CRJ = Canadair Regional Jet, a type of 50-seat regional jet; E70 = Embraer 170 large regional seats 69 and has a first-class section.)

Expect the press release on the routes being added on March 25 to be out Tuesday or Wednesday.

The second (final) phase of the slot swap happens on July 11, with US Airways adding another 20 or so slots at DCA. Delta is only dropping its single daily flights flight from DCA to Des Moines and Grand Rapids in July. A US Airways DCA – Des Moines flight then would seem likely; interesting though that US Airways is adding CLT – Des Moines in late March. If Grand Rapids happens from DCA, it would happen in July with the airline also adding Charlotte – Grand Rapids and/or Philadelphia – Grand Rapids.

Important US Airways travel note: US Airways uses LaGuardia as a connection point to secondary destinations in New York and New England with the airline’s reservation system still showing LaGuardia flights that the airline will soon be going away. So that (say) Charlotte – Bulington, VT itinerary with a connection at LaGuardia that you have booked for April may or may not still be valid. If you were going CLT-LGA-just about anywhere on US Airways after July 12, contact the airline ASAP. Come July 12, US Airways will only fly to LaGuardia from Charlotte, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reagan National, and Boston.