Transport Minister Dr Ewart Brown will be in Washington today to announce the launch of Bermuda's latest flight.

Dr. Brown said the new US Airways service from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which begins on July 7, will be the first from that airport to a destination outside North America.

The daily service will replace the US Airways service from Baltimore, and will allow Bermudians to land much closer to the capital.

Dr Brown said he hopes the new service will also provide a tourism spin-off for Bermuda, and will dovetail well with the opening in the last few weeks of the Department of Tourism's new office in Washington.

"We are celebrating the approval that has been granted by the US Department of Transportation for US Airways to operate from Reagan National, and officially announcing the flight," said Dr Brown.

"There were many serious challenges to overcome before approval was forthcoming and I have worked hard with my ministry staff to achieve this positive and successful result.

"I am very extremely gratified to see these efforts come to fruition and wish to express my personal thanks to the many individuals who assisted me.

"This airport is not only the doorway to the nation's capital, but it is also the doorway from the capital region to communities large and small.

"The flight coincides with the recent opening of the Tourism's Washington DC office and we are very optimistic about the successes of this service from this prime region."