Throughout the busy Summer 2022 travel season, Washington’s airports have been developing new ways to elevate the customer experience at Reagan National and Dulles International airports. With the Labor Day holiday weekend approaching, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is sharing an update on the latest enhancements and offering important travel tips for a smooth journey. 

Top Travel Tips for Labor Day and Beyond 

As summer transitions to fall, travelers at Washington’s airports are advised to keep these tips in mind: 

• Expect high demand for airport parking. Reserve parking well in advance. Set up separate online accounts for each airport. Customers with reservations can park even if the lot or garage is full. 
• Use wayfinding apps when driving to terminals or parking facilities to find your pick-up or drop-off location. Terminal names at Reagan National were updated in June. 
• Try mobile ordering inside the airport. Visit DCAordernow.com or IADordernow.com to save time waiting in line for take-out food and beverage. Mobile ordering is also available through the DC Airports app. 
• Consider using Metrorail. The station at Reagan National on the Blue and Yellow line is connected by walkways to Terminals 1 and 2. Dulles travelers can take the Silver Line to Wiehle-Reston East and ride a Silver Line Express bus to the airport’s front door. 

Metrorail Service Update 

Customers riding Metrorail to Reagan National this fall should plan ahead for long-term Metrorail maintenance that begins September 10. The airport station will remain open, but rail service to downtown Washington, D.C., will operate only on Blue Line trains. Additionally, all trains south of Reagan National will be replaced by shuttle buses through October 22. 

In anticipation of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) opening Silver Line Metrorail service to Dulles International, the airport is announcing its Silver Line Express bus service from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue to run until the Phase 2 rail extension opens to passengers with direct service to Dulles, expected this fall. The bus service, launched in 2014, provides a quick connection from Silver Line’s Phase 1 to the airport’s front door. 

“The Silver Line Express bus is enormously popular, carrying more than 15,000 riders per month,” said Richard Golinowski, vice president and Dulles Airport manager. “We are confident that airport travelers will ride the train to Dulles in far greater numbers once the Phase 2 extension is opened by WMATA and passengers can ride Metro to the Dulles Main Terminal.” 

The opening date will be determined and announced by the WMATA, which took control of the new track, stations and rail maintenance yard from the Airports Authority, which managed construction of the new line, on June 23. Dulles International is preparing new wayfinding signage throughout the airport to the Dulles station, which is connected to the Main Terminal by a convenient underground walkway with moving sidewalks. 

New Air Service Options at Dulles 

New airline service launches and announcements at Dulles in 2022 further solidified the airport’s position as the region’s premier international airport with a strong network of domestic destinations, as well. 

• United to Amman, Jordan, began May 5. 
• Allegiant added Nashville and Austin on April 21 to its Dulles destinations. 
• Ethiopian to Lomé, Togo, began June 1. 
• Iberia to Madrid, Spain, began June 1. 
• Avianca to San Jose, Costa Rica, began July 15 
• Qatar Airways will fly World Cup fans to matches in Doha, Qatar, from Dulles. 
• United to Cape Town, South Africa, begins November 17 – which coincides with Dulles’s 60th anniversary date. 
• Play Airlines to Reykjavik, Iceland, begins April 26, 2023. 

Reagan National (DCA) Passengers Enjoy New Facilities 

Major construction at Reagan National Airport concluded in 2021 with the opening of 14 indoor airline gates and two new security screening checkpoints under its $1 billion Project Journey construction program. In June 2022, the airport renamed gates to include Terminals 1 and 2 and Concourse designated by letters A through E for easier navigation. Additionally, new amenities await Labor Day weekend travelers, including: 

• Elevation Burger in Concourse E 
• The DCA Café, a custom-designed location to relax and enjoy refreshments while dropping off or picking up passengers, opened pre-security next to Terminal 2’s north checkpoint. 
• More tables and chairs at the post-security entrances to the B, C and D-Gates – including a Pepsi-themed lounge called “The Hangar” with soft seating and an airfield view. 

“Reagan National is well-equipped to handle daily travel volumes that lately have approached or exceeded pre-pandemic levels,” said Paul Malandrino, vice president and Reagan National Airport manager. “We are proud to offer customers a top-notch experience from the curb to the gate and are working to offer even more options to shop, dine and relax in the coming months.”