Baltimore–Washington International Airport
| Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Airline terminal with air traffic control tower in the background | |||
| IATA: BWI – ICAO: KBWI – FAA LID: BWI | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | Maryland Aviation Administration | ||
| Serves | Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area | ||
| Location | Anne Arundel County, near Glen Burnie, Maryland | ||
| Focus city for | |||
| Elevation AMSL | 146 ft / 45 m | ||
| Coordinates | 39°10′31″N 076°40′06″W / 39.17528°N 76.66833°WCoordinates: 39°10′31″N 076°40′06″W / 39.17528°N 76.66833°W | ||
| Website | |||
| Maps | |||
| FAA airport diagram | |||
| Location within Maryland | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 4/22 | 6,000 | 1,829 | Asphalt |
| 10/28 | 10,502 | 3,201 | Asphalt |
| 15L/33R | 5,000 | 1,524 | Asphalt |
| 15R/33L | 9,501 | 2,896 | Asphalt |
| Helipads | |||
| Number | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| H1 | 100 | 30 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2011) | |||
| Passengers | 22,391,785 | ||
| Aircraft operations | 275,953 | ||
| Based aircraft | 73 (2,010) | ||
| Cargo | 237,568,354 lbs | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] and BWI Airport.[2] | |||
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (IATA: BWI, ICAO: KBWI, FAA LID: BWI) is an international airport serving the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly referred to as BWI or BWI Marshall. Located adjacent to the Linthicum CDP[3] in northern unincorporated Anne Arundel County, Maryland, the airport is about 10 miles (16 km) south of Baltimore[4] and 32 miles (51 km) northeast of Washington, DC.[5] It is named after Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native and the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.
BWI is a focus city for Southwest Airlines,[6] and is the busiest airport in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area.[7] A record 21.9 million passengers traveled through BWI in 2010,[8] an increase of 4.7% over the previous year,[8] with July being the busiest month ever in the airport's history.[9] This made BWI the 24th busiest airport of North America in 2010.[10] The airport was also ranked 47th in the world in total aircraft movements in 2008.[11]
In 2010, BWI was ranked as the best airport of its size (15–25 mil. passengers) in the world by the Airports Council International based on its 2009 Airport Service Quality survey.[12] The airport also won second place for North American airports in the "Best Food and Beverage Program" of the 2010 Richard A. Griesbach Excellence in Airport Concessions Contest, sponsored by the Airports Council International.[13]
Contents |
History [edit]
Planning for a new airport on 3,200 acres (1,300 ha) to serve the Baltimore/Washington area began just after the end of World War II. Ground was broken in 1947.[14] Located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland next to the site where Friendship Methodist Church stood until 1948,[15] Friendship International Airport was dedicated on June 24, 1950, by President Harry Truman. The following month the airlines moved to the new airport from Harbor Field (southeast of Baltimore at 39°15′N 76°32′W / 39.25°N 76.53°W). The Official Airline Guide for April 1957 shows 52 weekday departures: 19 Eastern, 12 Capital, 8 American, 4 National, 3 TWA, 3 United, 2 Delta and 1 Allegheny. Miami had a couple of nonstops, but westward nonstop flights didn't reach beyond Ohio; Baltimore's reach expanded when jet service started in 1958–59. The early Boeing 707s and Douglas DC-8s could not use Washington National, and Dulles did not exist until 1962, so Baltimore became Washington's jet airport, with transcontinental flights.[16]
The State of Maryland, through the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), purchased Friendship International Airport from the City of Baltimore for $36 million in 1972. Under MDOT, the Maryland State Aviation Administration took over airfield operations and grew from three employees to more than 200. Plans to upgrade, improve, and modernize all Maryland airport facilities were announced almost immediately by the Secretary of Transportation, Harry Hughes. To attract passengers from the Washington area, the airport was renamed Baltimore/Washington International Airport in 1973.[17]
The first phase of BWI modernization was completed in 1974 at a cost of $30 million. Upgrades included improved instrument landing capabilities and runway systems, and construction of three new air cargo terminals, expanding the airport's freight capacity to 2.53 acres (1.02 ha).[17]
The passenger terminal renovation program was complete in 1979, the most dramatic work of the airport's modernization, which was designed by DMJM along with Peterson & Brickbauer.[18] The BWI terminal more than doubled in size to 14.58 acres (59,000 m2); the number of gate positions increased from 20 to 27. The total cost of project was $70 million. To continue the work, the BWI Development Council was established to support initiatives for airport development.[17]
The BWI Rail Station opened in 1980, providing a rail connection to passengers on the busy Northeast Corridor though Amtrak. BWI became the first airport in the U.S. to be served by a dedicated intercity rail station.[19] In particular, the station provided relatively easy transit access to Washington, D.C., something Washington Dulles International Airport currently lacks. In 1997, a new international terminal (Concourse E), designed by STV Group and William Nicholas Bodouva & Associates,[20] was added,[21] though Dulles continues to hold the lion's share of the region's international flights, and BWI has not attracted many long-haul international carriers. British Airways has had a presence at BWI for many years. AerLingus, Air Jamaica, Air Aruba, Air Greenland, El Al, Ghana Airways, Icelandair, KLM, Ladeco, and Mexicana previously flew to BWI. Military flights, operated by the U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command, continue to have a significant presence at BWI.[citation needed]
Beginning in the 1980s, and later for much of the 1990s, BWI was a major hub for Piedmont Airlines and successor US Airways, but that airline's financial difficulties in the wake of the dot-com bust, the September 11 attacks, and intense low fare competition forced it to significantly reduce its presence at the airport. The airport has been a major haven for low-cost flights in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area since Southwest Airlines' arrival in September 1993[22] and subsequent expansion in the early 2000s. Southwest is the airport's largest carrier, accounting for 56.12% of passengers carried in 2011.[23] Along with subsidiary AirTran Airways, Southwest Holdings currently serves on average 245 daily departures to destinations in the US, Mexico and the Caribbean.
To accommodate Southwest's extensive presence at the airport, in 2005 Concourses A and B were expanded, renovated, and integrated with one another to house all of that airline's operations there. This new facility, designed by URS Corporation, opened on May 22, 2005. On October 1 of that year, the airport was renamed again, to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, to honor the former US Supreme Court justice, who grew up in Baltimore.[24][25]
The airport has been a backdrop in numerous films, including The Silence of the Lambs, Goldfinger, Broadcast News, and Twelve Monkeys.
In late 2008, Health magazine named BWI the second healthiest airport in the United States.[26] In 2009 the airport had a six percent increase in air travelers due to the proliferation of discount flights.[27] In a 2009 survey of airport service quality by Airports Council International, BWI was the world's top ranking airport in the 15-to-25-million-passenger category.[28] BWI also ranked seventh, in medium sized airports, based on customer satisfaction conducted by J.D Power and Associates.[29]
Terminals [edit]
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has five concourses, though Concourses A and B were essentially merged into a single concourse in the renovations completed in 2005.[24] The Maryland Aviation Administration has its headquarters on the third floor of the terminal building.[30]
Passenger concourses [edit]
Concourses A and B have 26 gates: A1 to A11 and B1 to B15.
Southwest Airlines is the only tenant of Concourses A and both Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways share concourse B.
Concourse C has 14 gates: C1 to C14.
The tenants of the concourse are AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines. Concourse C is connected to concourses A/B by a secure connector.
Concourse D has 38 gates: D1 to D5, D7, D8, D10 to D16, D21 to D42, D46, and D47.
It serves Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, US Airways and United Airlines. The far end of Concourse D is built at ground level to serve small regional planes. Gates D30-D35 are blocked off to passengers with a temporary wall.
Concourse E has 6 gates: E1 to E4, E6 and E8.
Officially known as the Governor William Donald Schaefer International Terminal, it serves Air Canada Express, AirTran Airways (international arrivals that are not pre-cleared), British Airways, and Condor Flugdienst. All international arrivals from non pre-cleared destinations and all charter airlines are handled at Concourse E. The Air Mobility Command has a post in Concourse E flying active service troops out to worldwide destinations.
Cargo concourse [edit]
The airport's cargo concourse covers a 395,000 sq ft (36,700 m2) area. Its facilities include a 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2) cargo building in the Midfield Cargo Complex, a foreign trade zone, a 17 acres (6.9 ha) air cargo ramp, and ramp parking for 17 aircraft with direct nose-in access for 8 freighters.
Airline lounges [edit]
- British Airways contracts the Chesapeake Club Lounge in Concourse E, near entrance to the concourse, for use by its elite and Club World passengers.
- The USO operates a lounge on the lower level of the Terminal between Concourses D and E for United States military personnel and their families.
- Airspace Lounge opened on May 7, 2011.[31]
Terminal improvements [edit]
Current plans for airport improvements involve a $100 million expansion in the 60-year-old central section of the terminal. This involves a widening of Concourse C to accommodate new security screening equipment, adding a connecting corridor with moving sidewalks between the secure zones of Concourses B and C, and more security checkpoints for Concourse C. In addition, Concourse C will be given the level of amenities found at the A and B concourses in approximately 8,500 square feet of new food and retail space. Once complete, Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways will occupy all of concourses A, B and C. On June 11, 2012, BWI began construction renovating and expanding Concourse C. Completion of the project is expected in the summer of 2013.[32][33][34] On April 30, 2013, the airport opened the new concourse C security checkpoint, with nine security lanes, the most at the airport, as well as a new concourse A/B-C connector. [35]
Airlines and destinations [edit]
Passenger airlines [edit]
Charter airlines [edit]
| Airlines | Destinations | Concourse |
|---|---|---|
| Atlas Air | Charters (Domestic and International) | E |
| North American Airlines | Charters (Domestic and International) | E |
| Omni Air International | Charters (Domestic and International) | E |
| World Airways | Charters (Domestic and International) | E |
Cargo airlines [edit]
| Airlines | Destinations | Concourse |
|---|---|---|
| ABX Air | Cincinnati, Greensboro | Cargo |
| Air Transport International | Charlotte, Toledo | Cargo |
| FedEx Express | Indianapolis, Memphis | Cargo |
| FedEx Feeder operated by Mountain Air Cargo | Newark, Salisbury | Cargo |
| UPS Airlines | Louisville, New York-JFK | Cargo |
| World Airways Cargo | Chicago-O'Hare, Los Angeles, Milan, Ostend, Ramstein | Cargo |
Operations and statistics [edit]
With winds from the north or west, aircraft will generally land on runway 33L and depart on runway 28. When the winds are from the south or east, arrivals are on runway 10 and departures are on runway 15R. Use of the smaller parallel runway (33R/15L) is restricted to smaller propeller-driven aircraft and small corporate jets. Runway 4/22 is closed for landings and takeoffs; however it is used for taxing and turnoffs. The largest planes that land at BWI regularly are Boeing 757s, McDonnell Douglas MD-11s, and Boeing 767s. Because of the many cargo and charter operations at BWI, it's common to see one or two Boeing 747's or Airbus A330's on a daily basis as well. Runway 10/28 will be closed for a 60-day period beginning August 20, 2012 to update and implement safety requirement established by the Federal Aviation Administration.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2011, the airport had 276,133 aircraft operations, an average of 757 per day: 93% air carrier, 6% general aviation and less than 1% military operations. In 2009, there were 75 aircraft based at the airport: 45 single engine, 19 multi-engine, and 11 jets.[1]
Southwest Airlines, including its subsidiary AirTran Airways, represents approximately 72% of passengers followed by Delta Air Lines at 6%.
BWI is currently the busiest airport within the Baltimore–Washington area[7] with 11,067,317 boardings in 2011. This is ahead of Dulles International Airport at 11,043,829 enplanements and in front of Ronald Reagan National Airport with 9,053,004 enplanements. BWI serves the most domestic passengers in the Baltimore–Washington area while Dulles serves more international passengers.
| Rank | City | Passengers | Airline(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, Georgia | 816,000 | AirTran, Delta, Southwest |
| 2 | Boston, Massachusetts | 527,000 | AirTran, JetBlue, Southwest |
| 3 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 495,000 | AirTran, US Airways |
| 4 | Orlando, Florida | 462,000 | AirTran, Southwest |
| 5 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 362,000 | AirTran, Southwest, Spirit |
| 6 | Detroit, Michigan | 350,000 | Delta, Southwest |
| 7 | Providence, Rhode Island | 309,000 | Southwest |
| 8 | Tampa, Florida | 304,000 | AirTran, Southwest |
| 9 | Denver, Colorado | 279,000 | Southwest, United |
| 10 | Manchester, New Hampshire | 275,000 | Southwest |
| Passengers | Change from previous year | Aircraft operations | Cargo (pounds)[40] |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 20,698,967 | 266,790 | 252,413,171 | |
| 2007 | 21,044,384 | 265,424 | 254,701,295 | |
| 2008 | 20,488,881 | 249,456 | 225,275,286 | |
| 2009 | 20,953,615 | 245,522 | 221,302,348 | |
| 2010 | 21,936,461 | 253,165 | 225,706,183 | |
| 2011 | 22,391,785 | 258,475 | 237,568,354 |
Ground transportation [edit]
BWI was ranked one of the "Top 10 Easiest U.S. Airports to Get to" by Aviation.com in 2007 and has a light rail station located in its main terminal.[41]
Buses [edit]
Passenger van service for the Eastern Shore of Maryland is available through BayRunner Shuttle with services from BWI to Kent Island, Easton, Cambridge, Salisbury and Ocean City.
Bus service between BWI and the Greenbelt station of the Washington Metro and MARC Camden Line is provided by WMATA's Metrobus on Route B30 every 40 minutes 6am-10pm weekdays and 9am-10pm on weekends. Fare is $6.00.
The Maryland Transit Administration's Bus Route 17 serves BWI 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During the hours when the Light Rail operates, buses operate to the Patapsco Light Rail Stop. When the Light Rail is not in service, buses operate to Downtown Baltimore.
MTA Commuter Bus route 201 connects BWI with Arundel Mills, Burtonsville, Norbeck, Shady Grove station, and Gaithersburg. Buses operate once an hour (4am-6pm eastbound, 5am-11pm westbound), seven days a week. Fare is $5.00.
Howard Transit's Silver route operates between BWI and The Mall in Columbia hourly at most times except overnight.
Highway [edit]
BWI is located at the southeast terminus of Interstate 195, a spur route providing connections to the Baltimore–Washington Parkway and Interstate 95.
Rail [edit]
BWI Rail Station is located about a mile from the airport terminal; a free shuttle bus connects the train station and airport terminals. The station is served by Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains and, on weekdays, by the MARC Penn Line. Travel time by train is about ten minutes to Baltimore's Penn Station and thirty-five minutes to Union Station in Washington, D.C. Trains depart at least once an hour seven days a week, with departure times during rush hours and business hours being significantly more frequent.[42]
The Maryland Transit Administration's Light Rail line has a stop just outside the entrance to the airport's International Terminal. Passengers can take the Light Rail to a variety of destinations in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County, and can transfer to the Metro Subway in Baltimore, or to either of MARC's Baltimore terminals. A ride downtown takes approximately 30 minutes. Trains run every 20 minutes during peak hours, and 30 minutes all other times.[43]
In June 2007, the Maryland Department of Transportation, at the request of the Maryland General Assembly in 2006, commissioned a report on a proposal to extend the Washington Metro Green Line, from its current terminus at Greenbelt, through Howard County and to BWI Marshall.[44]
References [edit]
- ^ a b FAA Airport Master Record for BWI (Form 5010 PDF), retrieved 2009-11-25
- ^ "BWI Airport December 2011 Statistics." BWI Airport, Retrieved on May 23, 2012.
- ^ "Linthicum CDP, Maryland". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
- ^ "Driving Directions: Baltimore, MD". BWI Airport. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ "Driving Directions: Washington DC". BWI Airport. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ "Southwest Airlines’ Top Ten Airports". Southwest Airlines. Archived from the original on 7 October 2009. Retrieved October 9, 2009.
- ^ a b "Calendar Year 2011 Primary Airports". Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports. Federal Aviation Administration. September 27, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ a b Mirabella, Lorraine (February 14, 2011). "BWI sets passenger record in 2010". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ Associated Press (February 14, 2011). "BWI Airport sets passenger traffic record in 2010". Yahoo! News. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ "2010 North American Airports Traffic". Airport Traffic Reports. Airports Council International. 2010. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ "Top World Airports 2008 Final Rankings". Airports Council International. 2009. Retrieved February 17, 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "Survey: BWI ranked top airport of its size in world". The Baltimore Sun. February 18, 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport Wins Concessions Award". BWI Airport press release. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ "BWI History at a Glance" BWI Airport Timeline: 1784–1947, retrieved December 27, 2011.
- ^ Friendship Methodist Church closed after holding its last service on Easter Sunday in 1948. It was razed to make room for the new airport. Lee, Consella A. (February 16, 1996). "Work crews unearth potter's field at BWI". The Baltimore Sun.
- ^ "BWI History at a Glance" BWI Airport Timeline: 1950–59, retrieved November 16, 2009
- ^ a b c "BWI History at a Glance" BWI Airport Timeline: 1970–79, retrieved November 17, 2009
- ^ "Projects: BWI Airport". Charles Brickbauer, Architect. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ "BWI History at a Glance" BWI Airport Timeline: 1980–89, retrieved November 17, 2009
- ^ Gunts, Edward (June 16, 1992). "Designer Chosen for $100 Million BWI Expansion STV Group, Partner Would Design Larger International Wing". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
- ^ "BWI Timeline: 1990 to 1999". BWI History at a Glance. Maryland Aviation Administration. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ Transportation Research Board (2012). Addressing Uncertainty about Future Airport Activity Levels in Airport Decision Making. National Academy of Sciences. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-309-25857-9.
- ^ 2008 North American Final Rankings. Airports Council International, retrieved February 17, 2010.
- ^ a b "BWI History at a Glance" BWI Airport Timeline: 2005, retrieved November 17, 2009
- ^ AN ACT concerning Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Other State Facilities, Roads, and Bridges – Naming FOR the purpose of renaming the Baltimore-Washington International Airport as the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport; creating the Advisory Committee on the Naming of State Facilities, Roads, and Bridges; providing for the membership and the duties of the Committee; providing that expenditures to implement the funding for the implementation of this Act shall be as provided in the State budget; requiring the Maryland Aviation Commission to change certain signs to reflect the renaming of the airport; providing that letterhead, business cards, and other documents reflecting the renaming of the airport may not be used until all letterhead, business cards, and other documents already in print and reflecting the name of the airport prior to the effective date of this Act are used; prohibiting the expenditure of certain funds for certain purposes; making certain provisions of this Act subject to a certain contingency; and generally relating to the renaming of the Baltimore-Washington International Airport and the naming of the State Facilities, Roads, and Bridges. (pdf)
- ^ Formichelli, Linda. "Magazine picks America's healthiest airports." CNN. Wednesday December 17, 2008. Retrieved on October 21, 2009.
- ^ Walker, Andrea K. "BWI gains altitude." The Baltimore Sun. October 21, 2009. Retrieved on October 21, 2009.
- ^ "ACI Airport Service Quality Awards 2009" Airports Council International, retrieved February 17, 2010
- ^ Elaine Reyes (February 19, 2010). "BWI Airport Ranks High in Customer Service". NBC Washington. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ "Maryland Aviation Administration Contacts." Maryland Aviation Administration. Retrieved on March 2, 2010.
- ^ Mutzabaugh, Ben (March 15, 2011). "Company promises cheap airport lounge access for all". USA Today.
- ^ Michael Dresser (November 8, 2011). "BWI plans a $100M expansion". The Baltimore Sun.
- ^ Maya T. Prabhu (June 12, 2012). "Airport Enhancements Begin at BWI". Glen Burnie Patch.
- ^ "PFC Application 9 and Amendment to PFC Application 8". Notice and Opportunity for Public Comment. Maryland Aviation Administration. May 9, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-bwi-concourse-open-20130430,0,3052711.story
- ^ http://bwiairport.com/en/flight/newflights
- ^ http://finance.yahoo.com/news/southwest-airlines-airtran-airways-extend-160000163.html;_ylt=A2KJ3Cbdh6pQtiQANwXQtDMD
- ^ "Baltimore, MD: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Research and Innovative Technology Administration. September 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
- ^ "Statistics". Maryland Aviation Administration. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Total cargo (Freight, Express, & Mail).
- ^ BWI listed in Top 10 of "easiest airports to get to" by Aviation.com BWI press release: August 15, 2007. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ^ MARC Penn Line rail schedule. MTA Maryland. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ "MTA Light Rail schedules and map". MTA Maryland. June 14, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ "A Report to the Maryland General Assembly Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and House Appropriations Committee regarding Green Line Feasibility Study" (PDF). Maryland Department of Transportation. June 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
External links [edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport |
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
- BWI Business Partnership
- BWI Development Council
- BWI 60th anniv
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective May 2, 2013
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KBWI
- ASN accident history for BWI
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KBWI
- FAA current BWI delay information
- Airports in Maryland
- Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
- Transportation in Baltimore, Maryland
- Buildings and structures in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
- Airports in Washington, D.C.
- Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Maryland
- Transportation in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
- Airports established in 1950
- 1950 establishments in Maryland