The airports that serve those in the Washington D.C. area are located in Washington D.C. Two airports, Reagan (DCA) and Dulles (IAD) are located in Northern Virginia, and Marshall Airport (BWI) is located just out from Baltimore, Maryland.
From my childhood living in Arlington, Virginia and visiting my family members who live in the area the three airports I have visited are the ones that have become one that I have the most experience with. Each airport is unique and differs in the distance it is to D.C., flight availability and amenities at the terminal. If you haven’t been through them it is difficult to decide which one should fly to.
If you’re planning to travel for Washington D.C. or the surrounding areas I’ll discuss the airports you can travel to, with a comparative of Dulles and Reagan and BWI and offer some suggestions regarding what you should consider prior to making your booking for the next trip. As always, we suggest taking a carry-on backpack to ensure ease of travel through airports.
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Washington D.C. International Airports and Codes
This article will examine the comparison of the 3 Washington D.C. airports:
Reagan National Airport (DCA)
Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Marshall Airport (BWI)
Reagan National Airport (DCA) Convenient, But limited
In the midst of D.C.’s 3 airports Reagan National Airport (DCA) is my favorite for three reasons.
DCA is:
The closest the closest to Washington D.C.
The easiest access is via public transport
Small but efficient and easy to use
Transportation
Reagan is more close in proximity to Washington D.C. than Dulles or BWI by a significant distance. While it’s not located within D.C. proper, it’s situated over from the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia. This makes it simple to reach via the shortest and most affordable Uber or taxi ride, or by the Metro which is located just near the Airport. The Metro operates from 11:00 p.m. during weekdays, and 11:30 a.m. at weekends meaning that even late night travelers can benefit from the convenience offered by trains.
Amenities
The fact that DCA is located close to downtown makes it more closely monitored by the U.S. government. While you’re unlikely to notice or feel any difference in the general public however, security for travelers and airlines is much more strict than the other airports in the region. This is a good thing. The strict security rules they enforce along with (mostly) business travelers who use DCA makes it possible to get through security quickly as well as the terminal itself well-serviced.
Flight Options
The most significant drawbacks to DCA is that it has only domestic flights (plus two flights of flights to Canada) and is known to higher in cost in comparison to IAD as well as BWI. If you’re planning to travel to an international location through DCA it will require a transfer, usually at Atlanta, New York, or Los Angeles.
The airport has 95 flight nonstops flying out of DCA Airport, it serves many destinations. Most of these are situated along the east coast and within the middle west. A few direct flights operate into smaller airports such as Chattanooga, Tennessee. There is the largest variety of routes offered with American Airlines, although United, Alaska, JetBlue, Delta, Southwest, and Frontier are also based from DCA.
Insider Tip
Do you want to travel to get from NYC from NYC to DC? Consider taking your bus, and Amtrak instead. Between security at the airport and transportation from/to the airport, the train or bus are nearly as quick, but will take you directly to the center of the city.
Dulles International Airport (IAD) IAD: It is the “Big Hub”
To have the best flights and the highest general quality Dulles International Airport is in my opinion, the top airport in the region. However, there’s a caveat the airport isn’t that far from D.C.
Transportation
It is located about 26 miles away from the District itself, and over even the most remote metro stations of Northern Virginia, Dulles is close to the rolling farms that lie in Leesburg, Virginia than it is to Washington, the capital of the United States. Based on the location in the District you’d like to go, it takes between 30 minutes and one hour to get to the destination. Taxi rides can cost you as high as $60 for one way.
Public transportation isn’t always the best however, but it’s getting better. In 2009 the Metro started construction on the Silver Line to extend metro rail services to the Northern Virginia suburbs out to the airport. The line is now complete and will be able to carry passengers in 2022. In the meantime it is possible to take a shuttle for $5 from the stop at the moment in Reston. From D.C. the journey can take about 1 1/2 hours however, it is considerably less expensive than taxis.
Amenities
In terms of distance, Dulles is a great airport in all other ways. Although IAD is massive and post-security shuttles may be a bit difficult for newbies moving from your check-in desk to your gates can be surprisingly efficient. The process of clearing customs and security is fairly quick, particularly due to the fact that IAD offers all the expedited customs and security programs Global Entry, CLEAR, and Mobile Passport.
Perhaps the most important thing is that the airport is well-serviced with restaurants, shops and facilities.
Flight Options
If you’re looking in search of flights that go to D.C. area, you’ll have the best options for flights to and from IAD. This is especially true for United because IAD is among the United’s hubs. IAD offers the highest number of flight options among those three D.C. airports with nonstop flights to 57 international as well as the 81 domestic destinations. Domestic flights are typically slightly less expensive out of IAD more than DCA.
Insider Tip
If you’re planning to visit D.C. ensure that you schedule your arrival outside of peak hour which is around 6:30-9:00 a.m. and 3:00-7 p.m. Every day from Monday until Friday. The traffic flow throughout the DMV is among the worst in the United States I wouldn’t recommend the prospect of a two-hour drive following 10 hours of flying on anyone.
Marshall Airport (BWI): Basic, but budget-friendly
Traveling to Baltimore to travel towards D.C. may seem counterintuitive However, Marshall Airport (BWI) is just under half an hour’s distance away to Washington D.C. and only 30 minutes away via train. The main advantages of BWI is the low cost flights and affordable facilities.
Transportation
The most convenient way to get there and back to BWI is via train. At Union Station, travelers can take a 20-30-minute Amtrak train for $16plus or 35 minutes MARC train that costs just $7 (one direction). The trains run between 3:00 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. This is the same for the journey into the downtown area of Baltimore by taking an MARC train or an Amtrak train.
Other options for transportation aren’t as efficient or cost-effective. Taxis, Ubers and shuttles take approximately one time of about an hour between BWI until downtown D.C. You can expect an Uber or taxi to cost around $40-90, and shuttles for $37 for each person.
Amenities
Comparatively against Reagan as well as Dulles, BWI has a reputation of being basic and unappreciated. As I flew through BWI in 2014, it was dirty and as if there was no food options other than fast food.
It is a blessing that BWI has recently launched the $100 million expansion plan which will offer new dining options and services along with improved security, as well as improved mobility between terminals. It has witnessed major improvement. From a gym located in the D/E terminal , to more efficient security lines, BWI is now catching up with those of Virginian neighbors.
In addition to the latest modifications, BWI is budget-traveler friendly. The lounge is open for day pass holders costing only $17.50 and a zero-price markup on beverages and food The flights aren’t expensive, nor the food and drinks at the terminal cost a fortune at BWI.
Flight Options
Though technically an international one, the majority of the routes operated by BWI are domestic. Eight international destinations are served with non-stop flights.
However, what it is lacking in terms of options, BWI makes up for in price. The flights from BWI are typically less expensive in comparison to Reagan and Dulles with the budget-friendly Southwest Airlines operating the largest amount of flights that fly to and from BWI. Other budget airlines, Spirit and Iceland’s WOW Air, also offer direct flights. Meanwhile, larger airlines such as United, American, and Delta offer great deals on their tickets as well.
Insider Tip
It’s not possible to stroll from the BWI station to the airport the way it is at Reagan, as it’s offsite. Instead, you’ll get the shuttle bus that runs from the station. It’s recommended to allocate an extra 10 to 15 minutes to do this.
DC Airport Summary
Now is the time to make your booking and prepare your travel bag.
If you are flying domestically, Reagan (DCA) is the ideal airport you can fly to if you’re traveling from Washington D.C. Reagan is the closest airport to D.C. proper (even though it technically is in Virginia) It’s small but easy to get around and is easily accessible to D.C.’s subway system.
Dulles (IAD) is considered to be the most suitable option for international flights as it offers more nonstop flights to international routes, and the international flight to Reagan could require a layover somewhere else.
Although I generally prefer Reagan due to the fact that it’s the closest and easiest to reach the airport from Washington D.C., I’ll typically find flights that are significantly less expensive from Dulles. Dulles can also be the sole choice for international flights. It’s also, though it’s large, it’s a pretty efficient and pleasant airfield to maneuver.
BWI is worth it only if you’re on the north of D.C. or are willing to travel by train to Union Station. It is possible to find low-cost flights with low-cost airlines from BWI and, in most cases, it beats the competition in terms of cost.