Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owner/Operator | Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Serves | Washington metropolitan area | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | Dulles, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hub for | United Airlines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Focus city for | Frontier Airlines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 313 ft / 95 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | mwaa.com/dulles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() FAA airport Diagram | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA: IAD, ICAO: KIAD, FAA LID: IAD) is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles (42 km) west of downtown Washington, D.C.[2] The airport serves the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area, centered on the District of Columbia. The airport is named after John Foster Dulles, the 52nd Secretary of State and served under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Dulles main terminal is a well-known landmark designed by Eero Saarinen. Operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Dulles Airport occupies 11,830 acres (47.9 km2)[3] straddling the border of Fairfax County and Loudoun County, Virginia,[1] within the unincorporated communities of Chantilly and Dulles.
Dulles is the busiest airport in the Washington metropolitan area, and second busiest airport in the larger Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area (after BWI Airport) with over 22 million passengers a year.[4][5] With nearly all of the international passenger traffic in the Washington-Baltimore region, Dulles is the busiest international airport in the Mid-Atlantic outside of the New York metropolitan area.[6] On a typical day, more than 60,000 passengers pass through Washington Dulles to and from more than 125 destinations around the world.[4][7] Dulles is a major hub for United Airlines, serving as one of the airline's two primary transatlantic gateways, and is also a focus city for Frontier Airlines.
History
Origins
At the end of World War II, the growth in aviation in the Washington metropolitan area led Congress to pass the Washington Airport Act of 1950. Congress, through legislation, was recognizing that the planned future longer range and larger aircraft, as well as the increased number of projected landings/takeoffs, were far beyond the capacity of the existing airports in the Washington, DC area of the time. This reality supported providing federal backing for a second airport.[citation needed] After preliminary proposals failed, including one to establish an international airport at what is now Burke Lake Park, the current site was selected by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1958. As a result of the selection, the unincorporated community of Willard, which once stood in the airport's current footprint, was demolished.[8]
Design and original construction
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Dulles_International_Airport_%281970%29.jpg/220px-Dulles_International_Airport_%281970%29.jpg)
The civil engineering firm Ammann and Whitney was named lead contractor. The airport was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy on November 17, 1962. As originally opened, the airport had three runways (current day runways 1L/19R, 1C/19C, and 12/30). Its original name, Dulles International Airport, was changed in 1984 to Washington Dulles International Airport.[9] The main terminal was designed in 1958 by famed Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and it is highly regarded for its graceful beauty, suggestive of flight. In the 1990s, the main terminal at Dulles was reconfigured to allow more space between the front of the building and the ticket counters. Additions at both ends of the main terminal more than doubled the structure's length. The original terminal at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Taiwan was modeled after the Saarinen terminal at Dulles.
The design included a landscaped man-made lake to collect rainwater, a low-rise hotel, and a row of office buildings along the north side of the main parking lot. The design also included a two-level road in front of the terminal to separate arrival and departure traffic and a federally owned limited access highway connecting the terminal to the Capital Beltway (I-495) about 17 miles (27 km) to the east. (Eventually, the highway system grew to include a parallel toll road to handle commuter traffic and an extension to connect to I-66). The access road had a wide median strip to allow the construction of a passenger rail line, which will be in the form of an extension of the Washington Metro and is expected to be completed in 2018.
Notable operations and milestones
- The first scheduled flight at Dulles was an Eastern Air Lines Super Electra turboprop from Newark International Airport in New Jersey on November 19, 1962.[3]
- Dulles was initially considered a white elephant, being far out of town with few flights; in 1965 Dulles averaged 89 airline operations a day while Reagan National Airport averaged 600 despite not allowing jets.[citation needed] (Dulles got its first transatlantic nonstop in June 1964.) Airport operations grew along with Virginia suburbs and the Dulles Technology Corridor; perimeter and slot restrictions at Washington National Airport forced long-distance flights to use Dulles. In 1969 Dulles had 2.01 million passengers while National had 9.9 million.[10]
- The era of jumbo jets began on January 15, 1970 when First Lady Pat Nixon christened a Pan Am Boeing 747 at Dulles in the presence of Pan Am chairman Najeeb Halaby.[citation needed] Rather than a traditional champagne bottle, red, white, and blue water was sprayed on the aircraft.[citation needed] Pan Am's first Boeing 747 flight was Dulles to London Heathrow Airport.
- On May 24, 1976 supersonic flights between Dulles and Europe began with the arrival of a British Airways Concorde from London and an Air France Concorde from Paris. The two were lined nose-to-nose at Dulles for photos.
- On June 12, 1983 the Space Shuttle Enterprise arrived at Dulles mounted on top of a modified Boeing 747 after touring Europe and before returning to Edwards Air Force Base. Two years later Enterprise returned and was placed in a storage hangar near Runway 12/30 to await the construction of a planned expansion to the National Air and Space Museum. Enterprise left Dulles on April 27, 2012, for its new home at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.[11]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/StevenFUdvarHazy.png/220px-StevenFUdvarHazy.png)
- In 1990 a United States Senate joint resolution to change the name of Washington Dulles to Washington Eisenhower was proposed by Senator Bob Dole, but didn't pass.[12]
- When the SR-71 was retired by the military in 1990, one was flown from its birthplace at United States Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California to Dulles, setting a coast-to-coast speed record at an average 2,124 mph (3,418 km/h). The trip took 64 minutes. The aircraft was placed in a storage building to await display.[13]
- The first flight of the Boeing 777-200 in commercial service, a United Airlines flight from London Heathrow, landed at Dulles in 1995.[14]
- In December 2003 the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum officially opened the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles. The museum annex houses an Air France Concorde; the Enola Gay B-29; the Space Shuttle Discovery; the Boeing 367–80, which was the prototype of the Boeing 707; the SR-71; and other famous aerospace artifacts, particularly those too large for the main building on the National Mall.
- The 2004 launch of low-cost carrier Independence Air propelled IAD from being the 24th-busiest airport in the United States to fourth, and one of the top 30 busiest in the world. Independence Air ceased operations in January 2006, and its space in Concourse A was taken five months later by United Express.[15]
- Southwest Airlines began service at Dulles in fall 2006. In 2007, 24.7 million passengers passed through the airport.[16]
- On November 20, 2008, a third parallel north-south runway was opened on the west side of the airfield, designated as 1R/19L. The original 1R/19L was redesignated 1C/19C. It was the first new runway to be built at Dulles since the airport's construction.
- On June 6, 2011 Air France began Airbus A380 flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Washington Dulles.[3]
- On April 17, 2012 the Space Shuttle Discovery was ferried to Dulles mounted to a NASA 747-100 as part of its decommissioning and installation in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
- On June 1, 2012 the first passenger flight of the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental landed as Lufthansa Flight 416 from Frankfurt Airport.[17]
- On August 15, 2012, Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner arrived at Dulles.[18]
- On October 2, 2014 British Airways began Airbus A380 flights from London Heathrow Airport to Washington Dulles.
Planned development
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/DullesAerotrain.jpg/220px-DullesAerotrain.jpg)
By the 1980s, the original design, which had mobile lounges meet each plane, was no longer well-suited to Dulles' role as a hub airport. Instead, midfield concourses were added to allow passengers to walk between connecting flights without visiting the main terminal. Mobile lounges were still used for international flights and to transport passengers between the midfield concourses and the main terminal. An underground tunnel (consisting of a passenger walkway and moving sidewalks) which links the main terminal and Concourse B was opened in 2004.[19] The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) began a renovation program for the airport including a new security mezzanine with more room for lines.[20]
A new train system, dubbed AeroTrain and developed by Mitsubishi, began in 2010 to transport passengers between the concourses and the main terminal.[21] The system, which uses rubber tires and travels along a fixed underground guideway,[21] is similar to the people mover systems at Singapore Changi Airport,[21] Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Denver International Airport. The train is intended to replace the mobile lounges, which many passengers found crowded and inconvenient. The initial phase includes the main terminal station, a permanent Concourse A station, a permanent Concourse B station, a permanent midfield concourse station (with access to the current temporary C concourse via a tunnel with moving walkways), and a maintenance facility.[21] Mobile lounges continue to service the D Concourse from both the main terminal and Concourse A. Even after AeroTrain is built out and the replacement Concourses C and D are built, the mobile lounges and plane mates will still continue to be used, to transport international arriving passengers to the International Arrivals Building, as well as transport passengers to aircraft parked on hardstands without direct access to jet bridges. Dulles has stated that the wait time for a train does not exceed four minutes, compared to the average 15-minute wait and travel time for mobile lounges.
Under the development plan, future phases would see the addition of several new midfield concourses and a new south terminal.[22] A fourth runway (parallel to the existing runways 1 and 19 L&R) opened in 2008,[23] and development plans include a fifth runway to parallel the existing runway 12–30.[24] If this runway is built, the current runway will be redesignated as 12L-30R while the new runway will be designated 12R-30L. An expansion of the B concourse, used by many low cost airlines as well as international arrivals, has been completed, and the building housing Concourses C and D will eventually be knocked down to make room for a more ergonomic building. Because Concourses C and D are temporary concourses, the only way to get to those concourses is via moving walkway from the Concourse C station which is built in the location of the future gates and Concourse D by mobile lounge from the main terminal.[25]
Statistics
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/DC_08_2011_United_IAD_3200.jpg/220px-DC_08_2011_United_IAD_3200.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/JA781A_%286326858579%29.jpg/220px-JA781A_%286326858579%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/N945AN_%288129485668%29.jpg/220px-N945AN_%288129485668%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/OE-LAY_%288129483498%29.jpg/220px-OE-LAY_%288129483498%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/ZS-SXA_%288129453979%29.jpg/220px-ZS-SXA_%288129453979%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/D-ABTK_%287354219248%29.jpg/220px-D-ABTK_%287354219248%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/G-VELD_%288129454829%29.jpg/220px-G-VELD_%288129454829%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/United_Airlines_-_N776UA_%288411650095%29.jpg/220px-United_Airlines_-_N776UA_%288411650095%29.jpg)
United Airlines has used Dulles as a hub since 1985. Along with Newark Liberty International Airport, it is one of United's two transatlantic gateways with many nonstop flights to Europe and the Middle East. United handled 65.2% of scheduled air carrier passengers at the airport in 2013.[26] JetBlue Airways handled 1.7% of scheduled air carrier passengers. American Airlines is the airport's third largest carrier in tickets sold and handled: 4%.[26] In addition, 25 foreign carriers have service in and out of Washington Dulles. On a typical day, Dulles averages 1,000 to 1,200 flight operations.[27] Dulles International served 22.6 million passengers in 2012, a 2.8% decrease over 2011. However, international passenger traffic has increased by 2.0% during the same time.[28] Additional international service is commencing service at Washington Dulles. With 43 weekly flights, Dulles is now the second largest United States gateway to the Middle East. Even before the United States economic recession started, international passengers have continued to grow, which prompted the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to expand the international arrivals building to handle 2,400 passengers per hour.
Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
---|---|---|---|
1 | London (Heathrow), United Kingdom | 902,878 | British Airways, United, Virgin Atlantic |
2 | Frankfurt, Germany | 595,546 | Lufthansa, United |
3 | Paris (Charles de Gaulle), France | 446,332 | Air France, United |
4 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 347,247 | Emirates, United |
5 | Tokyo (Narita), Japan | 279,915 | All Nippon Airways, United |
6 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 267,681 | KLM, United |
7 | San Salvador, El Salvador | 267,061 | Avianca, United |
8 | Munich, Germany | 241,541 | Lufthansa, United |
9 | Brussels, Belgium | 195,476 | Brussels Airlines, United |
10 | Doha, Qatar | 187,874 | Qatar Airways, United |
Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles, California | 588,000 | American, United, Virgin America |
2 | San Francisco, California | 555,000 | United, Virgin America |
3 | Denver, Colorado | 462,000 | Southwest, United |
4 | Atlanta, Georgia | 315,000 | Delta, United |
5 | Boston, Massachusetts | 259,000 | JetBlue, United |
6 | Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois | 255,000 | United |
7 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 225,000 | American, United |
8 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 229,000 | United, US Airways |
9 | Orlando, Florida | 202,000 | JetBlue, United |
10 | Chicago (Midway), Illinois | 184,000 | Southwest |
Rank | Airline | Passengers |
---|---|---|
1 | United Airlines | 9,051,707 |
2 | ExpressJet Airlines (Delta Connection, United Express) | 2,302,142 |
3 | Mesa Airlines (United Express, US Airways Express) | 1,151,729 |
4 | American Airlines | 752,216 |
5 | Southwest Airlines | 613,030 |
6 | Trans States Airlines (United Express) | 562,322 |
7 | JetBlue Airways | 544,071 |
8 | Delta Air Lines | 513,033 |
9 | Virgin America | 455,131 |
Year | Passengers | Change from previous year |
Aircraft operations | Cargo (tonnes)[32] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | 19,797,329 | 465,195 | 395,981 | |
2000 | 20,104,693 | ![]() |
456,436 | 423,197 |
2001 | 18,002,319 | ![]() |
396,886 | 364,833 |
2002 | 17,235,163 | ![]() |
372,636 | 358,171 |
2003 | 16,950,381 | ![]() |
335,397 | 314,601 |
2004 | 22,868,852 | ![]() |
469,634 | 342,521 |
2005 | 27,052,118 | ![]() |
509,652 | 334,071 |
2006 | 23,020,362 | ![]() |
379,571 | 386,785 |
2007 | 24,737,528 | ![]() |
382,943 | 395,377 |
2008 | 23,876,780 | ![]() |
360,292 | 368,064 |
2009 | 23,213,341 | ![]() |
340,367 | 358,535 |
2010 | 23,741,603 | ![]() |
336,531 | 366,333 |
2011 | 23,211,856 | ![]() |
327,493 | 333,683 |
2012 | 22,561,521 | ![]() |
312,070 | 302,766 |
2013 | 21,947,065 | ![]() |
307,801 | 253,361 |
Terminals
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Mobile_lounge_Washington_Dulles_Airport_2010.jpg/220px-Mobile_lounge_Washington_Dulles_Airport_2010.jpg)
[discuss]
The airport's terminal complex consists of a main terminal and two midfield terminal buildings: Concourses A/B and C/D. The entire terminal complex has 123 gates and 16 hardstand locations[33] from which passengers can board or disembark using the airport's plane mate vehicles.[3]
Conceived in early planning sessions in 1959, Dulles is one of the few remaining airports to use the mobile lounge (also known as "plane mates" or "people movers") for boarding and disembarkation from aircraft, and to transfer passengers between the midfield concourses and to and from the main terminal building. They have all been given names based on the postal abbreviations of 50 states, e.g.: VA, MD, AK.[34]
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has begun to gradually phase out the mobile lounge system for inter-terminal passenger movements in favor of the AeroTrain, an underground people mover which currently operates to Concourses A, B and C, and underground pedestrian walkway tunnels (now in service to concourse A/B). The mobile lounges are still used to transport passengers directly from the main terminal to Concourse D. Plane mates also remain in use to disembark international passengers and carry them to the International Arrivals Building, as well as to convey passengers to and from aircraft on hard stand (i.e., those parked remotely on the apron without access to jet bridges).[35][36]
Main terminal
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Washington_Dulles_International_Airport_main_terminal.jpg/220px-Washington_Dulles_International_Airport_main_terminal.jpg)
The iconic main terminal (which houses ticketing, baggage claim, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Z gates, and other support facilities) was recognized by the American Institute of Architects in 1966 for its design concept; its roof is a suspended catenary providing a wide enclosed area unimpeded by any columns. It houses ticketing, baggage claim, and information facilities, as well as the International Arrivals Building for passenger processing.
The main terminal was extended in 1996 to 1,240 feet (380 m)—Saarinen's original design length—which was slightly more than double its originally constructed length of 600 feet (180 m).[33] In addition, an extension for international arrivals was added to the west of the main terminal in 1991. On September 22, 2009, an expansion of the international arrivals building opened which includes a 41,400 square feet (3,850 m2) arrival hall for customs and immigration processing. The new facility has the capacity to process 2,400 arriving passengers per hour.[37]
In September 2009, a 121,700 square feet (11,310 m2) central Transportation Security Administration checkpoint was added on a new security mezzanine level of the main terminal. This checkpoint replaced previous checkpoints located behind the ticketing areas.[38] A separate security checkpoint is available on the baggage claim level. Both security checkpoints connect to the new AeroTrain, which links the main terminal with the A, B, and C concourses.
There are two sets of gates in the main terminal: the first is the "H" Gates, which are waiting areas for airlines which lack permanent physical gates and therefore use plane mates to reach planes parked at 16 hard-stand locations. The other is a set of four gates designated as Concourse Z, which provides service for Frontier Airlines (as of August 19, 2014).
Midfield terminals
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Dulles_Aerotrain_terminal_B.jpg/220px-Dulles_Aerotrain_terminal_B.jpg)
There are two midfield terminal buildings at Dulles: one contains the A and B midfield concourses, the other the C and D midfield concourses.
Concourses A and B
All non-United flights operate out of these two concourses. Concourse A (which has 47 gates) composes the eastern part of the closer midfield terminal building. It consists of a permanent ground level set of gates designed for small planes such as regional jets and several former B concourse gates.[39] The concourse is primarily used for international flights. Air France operates an airline lounge opposite gate A22, Ethiad Airways operates a First and Business Class lounge across from gate A15, Virgin Atlantic has a Clubhouse lounge across from gate A32. Concourse A's AeroTrain station is located halfway along the horizontal length of the building, between gates A6 and A14.
Concourse B (which has 28 gates) composes the western half of the building. It is the first of the permanent elevated midfield concourses. Originally constructed in 1998 and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, the B concourse contained 20 gates. In 2003, 4 additional gates were added to concourse B, followed by a 15-gate expansion in 2008.[40] It is connected to the main terminal by an underground walkway in addition to the AeroTrain station located between gates B51 and B62. Concourse B is used by some international carriers, and is also utilized by all non-United domestic and Canada flights. The facility also includes a British Airways Galleries lounge and a Lufthansa Senator lounge.
Concourses C and D
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Inside_Concourse_C.jpg/220px-Inside_Concourse_C.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/N663UA_%286326861739%29.jpg/220px-N663UA_%286326861739%29.jpg)
Concourses C and D are used for United Airlines flights, including all mainline flights and most United Express regional jet operations (save for a few that use Concourse A).
The building containing Concourses C and D was constructed in 1983 and designed by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum. The two concourses have 22 gates each, numbered C1-C28 and D1-D32, with odd-numbered gates on the north side of the building and even numbered gates on the south side. Concourse C composes the eastern half of the terminal and Concourse D composes the gates on the west half of the terminal.[41][42] The C/D concourses were given a face lift in 2006 which included light fixture upgrades, new paint finishes, new ceiling grids and tiles, heating and air conditioning replacement, and complete restroom renovations.[42]
Concourse C also has a dedicated Federal Inspection Station located at ground level. International United flights therefore can deplane passengers via jetbridge at Concourse C (as opposed to using plane mates to offload passengers), and subsequently passengers connecting onwards and passengers with Dulles as their final destination are separated. Passengers with Dulles as their final destination are directed onto a mobile lounge that transports them to the International Arrivals Building, while passengers connecting to another United flight clear U.S. Customs and Immigration at the FIS station on the ground level. Since this immigration facility is only for connecting passengers on United and other Star Alliance carriers, it has shorter lines and passengers don't have to reclear security at the massive security checkpoints in the main terminal.
There are three United Clubs in the facility: one next to Gate C7, one next to gate C17, and one next to gate D8. There is also a United International First Lounge near gate C2.
A new and permanent C/D concourse (also called "Tier 2") is planned as part of the D2 Dulles Development Project. The new building is to include a three-level structure with 44 airline gates and similar amenities to Concourse B.[42] The concourse plan includes a dedicated mezzanine corridor with moving sidewalks to serve international passengers. The design and construction of the new C/D concourse has not been scheduled.[42]
Airlines and destinations
This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2014) |
Passenger
- Note: All domestic flights, as well as flights from airports with U.S. border preclearance are serviced directly at the concourses. All other flights are processed through the International Arrivals Building (IAB) while international United Airlines flights are processed through the Concourse C Federal Inspection Station (FIS) for connecting passengers.
^1 Avianca's flight to La Paz makes a stop in Bogotá.
^2 Ethiopian Airlines' flight from Addis Ababa to Dulles stops at Rome-Fiumicino, but the flight from Dulles to Addis Ababa is nonstop.
Airline lounges
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Dullesairportmap4.png/220px-Dullesairportmap4.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/A380_IAD_06_2012_F-HPJC_3317.jpg/220px-A380_IAD_06_2012_F-HPJC_3317.jpg)
Since many major domestic and international airlines have a large presence at Washington Dulles, there are several airline lounges in active operation there.
- Air France: Air France Lounge, A Concourse across from gate A22.[79]
- British Airways: Galleries Club and Galleries First lounges, each with their own separate dining rooms, B Concourse.[79]
- Etihad Airways: First and Business class lounge located opposite gate A15.[80]
- Lufthansa: Senator Lounge and Business Lounge, B Concourse at gate B51.[79]
- United Airlines: Two United Clubs in Concourse C and one on Concourse D.[79] There is also a United International First Lounge on Concourse C.[81]
- Virgin Atlantic: Clubhouse, A Concourse across from gate A32
Cargo
Airlines | Destinations |
---|---|
FedEx Express | Harrisburg, Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark |
FedEx Feeder operated by Mountain Air Cargo | Newark |
UPS Airlines | Louisville, Richmond |
Ground transportation
Roads
Dulles is accessible via the Dulles Access Road/Dulles Greenway (State Route 267) and State Route 28. The Dulles Airport Access Highway (DAAH) is a toll-free, limited access, highway owned by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to facilitate car access to Dulles from the Washington Capital Beltway and Interstate 66.[82] After it opened, non-airport traffic between Washington and Reston became so heavy that a parallel set of toll lanes were added on the same right-of-way to accommodate non-airport traffic (Dulles Toll Road). However, the airport-only lanes are both less congested as well as toll-free. As of November 1, 2008, MWAA assumed responsibility from the Virginia Department of Transportation both for operating the Dulles Toll Road and for the construction of a rapid transit rail line down its median. Route 28, which runs north–south along the eastern edge of the airport, has been upgraded to a limited access highway, with the interchanges financed through a property tax surcharge on nearby business properties. The Dulles Toll Road has been extended to the west to Leesburg as the Dulles Greenway.
Mass transportation
Fairfax Connector routes 981 and 983 serve Dulles, connecting to the Herndon–Monroe park & ride lot in Herndon, the Reston Town Center transit in Reston, the Wiehle – Reston East Metro station, and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Air and Space Museum.
As of 2014[update], the only Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority service to Dulles is the "Express" 5A Metrobus route. The 5A express bus makes two stops on its way from the airport to downtown Washington. Stops include the Herndon–Monroe park & ride lot in Herndon and the Rosslyn Metro station in Arlington. It terminates at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station in Southwest DC. Both metro stations can be accessed by the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines, while the latter can also be accessed by the Yellow and Green lines.
An alternative (but slightly more expensive)[83] way of reaching Dulles is the Washington Flyer Coach bus service that operates roughly every twenty minutes between the airport and the Wiehle – Reston East Metro station. Washington Flyer service will be permanently discontinued when Phase II of the Silver Line opens in 2018.[84]
Passengers connecting to the Shenandoah Valley can use the Shenandoah Valley Commuter Bus, which connects to the Vienna and Rosslyn Metro stations. Taxis and SuperShuttle ride sharing vans are also available.
Planned
Construction is now underway to connect the airport to Washington via the Silver Line of the Washington Metro.[85] While initial plans called for completion of the station in 2016, officials now expect the construction to be completed in 2018.[86][87]
Incidents and accidents
Accidents
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/IAD_ATCT.jpg/220px-IAD_ATCT.jpg)
- On May 29, 1972, the pilot of a Kite Rider (a variety of hang glider) was killed in a crash. This was during day 3 of a 9-day Air Show held at Dulles in conjunction with Transpo '72 (officially called the U.S. International Transportation Exposition, a $10 million event sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and attended by over one million visitors from around the world). This was to be the first of three air deaths during the Air Show.[88]
- On June 3, 1972, a second death occurred at the Transpo '72 Air Show, during a sport plane pylon race. At 2:40 pm, during the second lap and near a turn about pylon 3, a trailing aircraft's (LOWERS R-1 N66AN) wing and propeller hit the right wing tip of a leading aircraft (CASSUTT BARTH N7017). The right wing immediately sheared off the fuselage, and the damaged aircraft crashed almost instantly, killing the 29-year-old pilot, Hugh C. Alexander of Louisville, Georgia, U.S. He was a professional Air Racer with over 10,200 hours.[89][90] This was to be the second of three air deaths during the Air Show.[88]
- On June 4, 1972, during the last day of the 9-day Transpo '72 Air Show, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds experienced their first fatal crash at an air show. Major Joe Howard flying Thunderbird 3 was killed at Dulles when his F-4E-32-MC Phantom II, 66-0321, experienced a loss of power during a vertical maneuver. The pilot broke out of formation just after he completed a wedge roll and was ascending at around 2,500 feet AGL. The aircraft staggered and descended in a flat attitude with little forward speed. Although Major Howard ejected as the aircraft fell back to earth from about 1,500 feet (460 m) tail first, and descended under a good canopy, winds blew him into the fireball ascending from the blazing crash site. The parachute melted and the pilot plummeted 200 feet, sustaining fatal injuries.[91] This was to be the third of three air deaths during the Air Show.[88]
- On December 1, 1974, a flight diverted to Dulles, TWA Flight 514, crashed onto the western slope of Mount Weather.[92] All 85 passengers and 7 crew members were killed on impact.
- On June 18, 1994, a Learjet 25 operated by Mexican carrier TAESA crashed in trees while approaching the airport from the south. Twelve people died.[93] The passengers were planning to attend the 1994 FIFA World Cup soccer games being staged in Washington, D.C.
Incidents
- On June 14, 1979, the number 5 and 6 tires on an Air France Concorde blew out during takeoff. Shrapnel thrown from the tires and rims damaged number 2 engine, punctured three fuel tanks, severed several hydraulic lines and electrical wires, in addition to tearing a large hole on the top of the wing, over the wheel well area.[94]
- On July 21, 1979, one month after the above tire accident, another Air France Concorde blew several of its landing gear tires during takeoff. After that second incident the "French director general of civil aviation issued an air worthiness directive and Air France issued a Technical Information Update, each calling for revised procedures. These included required inspection of each wheel/tire for condition, pressure and temperature prior to each take-off. In addition, crews were advised that landing gear should not be raised when a wheel/tire problem is suspected."[94]
- In the September 11, 2001 attacks, American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked while en route from Dulles to Los Angeles and flown into the Pentagon.[95]
See also
- Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic
- List of thin shell structures
- Thin-shell structure
References
- ^ a b FAA Airport Form 5010 for IAD PDF
- ^ "Dulles International Airport". Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Facts About Washington Dulles International Airport". Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Air Traffic Statistics". Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
- ^ "Preliminary CY 2012 Enplanements" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2013.[dead link]
- ^ "U.S. International Air Passenger and Freight Statistics Report" (PDF). Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
- ^ "Air Service Maps – IAD". Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
- ^ Scheel, Eugene. "History of Dulles Airport". Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "History of Washington Dulles International Airport". Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
- ^ Aviation Daily 23 Feb 1971 p. 291
- ^ "Space Shuttle Pavilion". IntrepidMuseum.org. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
- ^ Reuters (January 25, 1990). "Tribute to Eisenhower". The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
{{cite news}}
:|author=
has generic name (help)see also, 101st Congress, S.J.RES.239. - ^ "Blackbird Records". SR-71 Online. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "United Airlines". Century-of-flight.net. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "United Express moves to Concourse A at Dulles International Airport". United.com. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ Coombs, Joe (February 7, 2008). "Passenger numbers up at Dulles International, Reagan National airports". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
- ^ Lufthansa starts 747-8 flights to Dulles - Washington Business Journal. Bizjournals.com (2012-06-01). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ^ Ethiopian Airlines Inaugurates 787 Dreamliner Airplane at Washington Dulles International Airport. ET African Journeys (2012-08-17). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ^ "Passenger Walkway to Concourses A and B Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ "Dulles Development: Main Terminal Improvement Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Aerotrain – Dulles Train System Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ Weiss, Eric M. (August 19, 2008). "Dulles Updates Its People Movers". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ "D2 Projects: Fourth Runway". Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority. 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ "D2 Projects: Future Fifth Runway". Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority. 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ Fox, Peggy (January 25, 2010). "Dulles Airport To Open AeroTrain". 9 News Now. WUSA. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ a b "Total Passenters by Airline: January 2010 – December 2010" (PDF). Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. January 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
- ^ "Total Operations by Airline-May 2010 – April 2011" (PDF). Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. May 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ Washington's Airports Set Records for Passenger Growth. Mwaa.com (2013-02-20). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ^ "U.S. International Air Passenger and Freight Statistics Report". 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
- ^ "Washington, DC: Dulles International (IAD)- Scheduled Services except Freight/Mail". Transtats.bts.gov. June 3, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "Carrier Statistics IAD" (PDF).
- ^ Total cargo (Freight, Express, & Mail).
- ^ a b "Facts About Washington Dulles International Airport". Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. 2010. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ Nick Komons (August 1989). Air Progress: 65.
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: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Aryanpur, Arianne (February 2, 2006). "At Dulles, The Tarmac Is Their Turf". The Washington Post. p. VA16. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ Miroff, Nick (September 14, 2006). "Airport's Future Is on Rails". The Washington Post. p. B01. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ Freeman, Sholnn (September 22, 2009). "Elbow Room Expands for International Arrivals". The Washington Post. p. B2.
- ^ "New Passenger Security Screening Areas Open at Dulles International Airport Tomorrow" (PDF). Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority Office of Public Affairs. September 14, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ "Aerotrain has Opened". Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority. 2010. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ "D2 Dulles Development: Concourse B Expansion" (PDF). Retrieved March 12, 2013.
- ^ Kidder Smith, G. E. (2000). Source Book of American Architecture: 500 Notable Buildings from the 10th Century to the Present. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. p. 449. ISBN 1-56898-254-2. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
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ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d "D2 Projects – Concourse C/D". Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority. 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
- ^ Routemap http://www.aeroflot.com/cms/en/flight/ways_map
- ^ Washington DC (Aeromexico USA | Aeromexico Destinations) http://aeromexico.com/us/destinations/united-states/washington-dc.html?origen=IAD
- ^ http://airchina.innosked.com/%28S%28qcwo1p55t3a1vz45pdyhcofc%29%29/default.aspx?lang_id=EN®ion=US
- ^ Air France network (Network maps, flight destinations) https://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/reseau/reseau_airfrance_airfrance.htm
- ^ http://ana.innosked.com/%28S%28nwwfe445uaxeygnusmcsut45%29%29/default.aspx?lang_id=EN®ion=NHINTL&origin=WWS&CONNECTION_KIND=USA
- ^ Where We Fly (American Airlines Route Map) http://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/whereWeFly/maps/world.jsp?anchorEvent=false&from=Nav
- ^ Austrian Airlines Map (Austrian Airlines Map) http://os.fltmaps.com/en?country=US
- ^ http://www.avianca.com/en-us/travel-information/before-your-flight/network-of-routes.aspx
- ^ http://onw.innosked.com/%28S%28bxnlp155wcrbvnexta0sfnvn%29%29/Default.aspx?show=MAP
- ^ Destinations (brusselsairlines.com) http://www.brusselsairlines.com/en-us/destinations/Default.aspx
- ^ Destinations Guide (Washington Dulles, United States) http://destinationsguide.copaair.com/en/IAD/
- ^ a b Delta Air Lines Map (Delta Air Lines Map) http://delta.innosked.com/(S(3oegnw45lqw33555ufiisdi4))/Default.aspx
- ^ FLIGHT SCHEDULE: (Non-Stop Ticket Sales) http://pwm.eliteairways.net/non-stop-online/
- ^ Emirates United States (Emirates United States) http://www.emirates.com/us/english/flash/route_map.aspx
- ^ Ethiopian | Destinations & Offers | International Network Route (Ethiopian | Destinations & Offers | International Network Route) http://www.ethiopianairlines.com/en/network/intl/default.aspx
- ^ Etihad Airways Route Map (Etihad Airways Route Map) http://flights.etihad.com/routemap
- ^ Frontier Airlines to Bring Low Fares and Friendly Service to Washington Dulles International Airport on 14 New Routes , PR Web, May 13, 2014, Retrieved 2014-05-13
- ^ http://finance.yahoo.com/news/frontier-airlines-announces-one-day-140330687.html;_ylt=AwrBEiSMjE5UYgoA_8_QtDMD
- ^ Timetable (Timetable) http://www.icelandair.us/information/travel-guide/timetable/
- ^ JetBlue (JetBlue) http://www.jetblue.com/wherewejet/
- ^ Destinations - KLM.com (Destinations - KLM.com) http://www.klm.com/travel/us_en/destinations/index.htm
- ^ https://www.koreanair.com/content/dam/koreanair/Global/Documents/Traveling%20With%20Us/Timetable_INT.PDF
- ^ http://lufthansa.innosked.com/(S(ipn0zsi0nhcn4jmlc3fvb0aj))/Default.aspx?lang_id=en&country=uk
- ^ VIPorter (Flights to Washington, D.C.) https://www.flyporter.com/Flights-To/Washington?culture=en-US
- ^ Route Map (Route Map) http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/route-map.page
- ^ Network Map (s) http://www.saudiairlines.com/portal/site/saudiairlines/menuitem.1af1e8441983634503d37a107c6981ca/?vgnextoid=59d0d1059e8e0410VgnVCM100000d59618acRCRD
- ^ http://www.flysas.com/en/us/destinations/
- ^ Silver Airways Advisory http://www.silverairways.com/more-information/travel-information/advisories/advisory/atlanta-cleveland-and-washington-d.c.-dulles-customers
- ^ Route Mapper (Routemap – South African Airways Destination Guide) http://destinations.flysaa.com/en/routemap
- ^ Sun Air International: Go Green! (Sun Air International: Go Green!) http://www.pacificwings.com/sunair/sun/va-map.asp
- ^ http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-us/flights-tickets/washington-dc
- ^ a b "UNITED Adds New Winter Seasonal Domestic Service from Dec 2014". Airline Route. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
- ^ "UNITED Adds Seasonal Washington - San Jose/Los Cabos Service from late-Dec 2014". Airline Route. July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
- ^ Route map (US Airways) http://www.usairways.com/en-US/routemap.html
- ^ Virgin America Flight Destinations & Route Map (Virgin America) https://www.virginamerica.com/cms/airport-destinations
- ^ Where we fly (Destination map) http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/us/en/ideas-lowestfares/route-map.html
- ^ a b c d "Main Terminal" (PDF). Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority. July 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ Etihad opens premium lounge at Dulles airport - Yahoo! News Maktoob. En-maktoob.news.yahoo.com (2013-04-06). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ^ "United to Introduce Three New Countries to Global Network" (Press release). United AIrlines. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
- ^ "Dulles Toll Road". mwaa.com. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ Washington Flyer bus is $5 one-way while the 981/983 Fairfax Connector bus is $1.75 one-way.
- ^ "USA: Washington DC". To and From the Airport.com. 2010. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
- ^ "Dulles International Airport". wmaa.com. 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ^ "Metro to Dulles opening date pushed back". WTOP-FM. wtop.com. March 16, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "Metro to Open in 2013". Washington Examiner. Washington Examiner. February 19, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Kite Rider Killed in Crash At Transpo 72 Air Show". The New York Times. May 30, 1972.
- ^ "NTSB Aviation Query NYC72AN147 N66AN".
- ^ "NTSB Aviation Query NYC72AN147 N7017".
- ^ USAF Aircraft Accidents – Life Sciences Aspects, April–June 1972, Directorate of Aerospace Safety, Air Force Inspection and Safety Center, Norton AFB, California, pages 59–60.
- ^ Shaw, Adam (1977). Sound of Impact: The Legacy of TWA Flight 514. New York, NY: Viking Press. ISBN 0-670-65840-5.
- ^ "Safety Recommendation" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. April 3, 1995. Retrieved June 3, 2011.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Safety Recommendations" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. November 9, 1981. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "Flight Path Study – American Airlines Flight 77" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. February 19, 2002.
External links
Media related to Washington Dulles International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Official Dulles Food and Shops Concessions website
- Footage of the Dedication of Dulles International Airport in 1962
- openNav: IAD / KIAD charts
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective August 8, 2024
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KIAD
- ASN accident history for IAD
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KIAD
- FAA current IAD delay information
- Airports in Washington, D.C.
- Airports in Virginia
- Eero Saarinen structures
- Concrete shell structures
- Transportation in Loudoun County, Virginia
- Transportation in Fairfax County, Virginia
- Modernist architecture in Virginia
- American Airlines Flight 77
- Airports established in 1962
- Buildings and structures in Loudoun County, Virginia
- 1962 establishments in the United States
- Googie architecture
- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill buildings