Dulles Is Getting a $22.5 Billion Makeover, and the Payoff Is Seven Years Away

Washington Dulles International Airport, which opened in 1962, has begun a $22.5 billion effort to remake large parts of the facility. The project was launched at the urging of the Trump administration and is far bigger than the single new concourse United is opening this week. It is one of the largest airport redevelopment efforts in the country, and it will shape how millions of travelers move through the Washington region for years.

The first major pieces are expected to be finished within seven years. They include a major renovation of the main terminal and the A and B gates, as well as a new connector linking those gates with the main terminal. For now, nothing about the daily experience changes overnight, and passengers should expect construction to be part of the picture for a long time.

One of the most recognizable parts of Dulles, the mobile lounges known as people movers, will eventually go away. They remain in service today, and international travelers arriving at the new Concourse E still use them to reach customs. Other passengers, including those departing internationally, use the Aerotrain to move between the main terminal and the concourse.

The scale of the plan helps explain why airlines are investing in the airport. United says it already operates about 250 daily flights from Dulles and expects 300 with Concourse E. If you fly through Dulles regularly, it is worth following the project’s phases, since gate areas and connections could shift as the work proceeds.

Sources: Fox Baltimore, Aviation Week