The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday agreed to settle its suit to block the merger of American Airlines and US Airways,

as the carriers agreed to DOJ's request to relinquish "to low-cost carrier airlines" slots and gates at seven U.S. airports. While airline analysts expected a settlement to require slot transfers at Washington Reagan National Airport, the settlement also includes divestitures at Boston Logan, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas Love Field, Los Angeles International, Miami International and New York LaGuardia. The airlines agreed to divest 52 slot pairs at Washington National and 17 slot pairs at New York LaGuardia. American Airlines and US Airways "also will divest two gates and related support facilities" at the remaining airports, according to a statement from the airlines. "The companies now expect to complete the merger in December 2013," according to the joint statement.