those of your that travel...DC airport question
- Thread starter mjpwooo
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Reagan is smaller and easier to navigate. Check BWI as well. May be cheaper
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
BWI is very easy to deal with, I spent a lot of time flying in and out of it a couple of years ago. Dulles used to have these dumb moon lander buses to get to your gate, but I think that was fixed years ago in a renovation. I have no experience with Reagan.
Regan is a good choice. Right close to everything in DC. Was easy to get in and out of.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
BWI is where I've always flown into. So much easier the Reagan and Dulles. If you do fly into Reagan be prepared for a steep ascent and descent. It can be a little unnerving because it's different.
The approach into Reagan is one of my favorites. Can be some sharp turns to get lined up coming down the river. Plus, you get to be many of the sights from high up.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Yeah it isnt even close. I have used Dulles once and it was for an international flight. National is about 3 minutes from downtown. Dulles is 40-60 minutes from downtown.
I am on the Maryland side now and love BWI.
I am on the Maryland side now and love BWI.
Reagan is on the Metro line.
Dulles still has the mobile lounges, they have reduced using them for international travelers.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Dulles still has the mobile lounges, they have reduced using them for international travelers.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Really depends on where you are staying. This week, we flew into DCA and out of Dulles. Both airports have good access though you have toll roads out by Dulles. The traffic around DCA can be bad at certain times of the day.
We've gone up a couple of times on short vacations, staying in town at a hotel pretty close to the White House. Reagan was the easy choice, primarily because we could just take the Metro from the airport to downtown. I can't imagine wanting a rental car there, parking would be a nightmare.
Reagan is a small airport and close to downtown. All things being equal, it is my choice even though I live about half way between Reagan and Dulles. Dulles is a bigger airport that was not designed terribly well. Its better now that they have finished the tunnels between the terminals. BWI is also a bigger airport, but with a better design. I used to fly Southwest out of there a lot. It used to suck because SW had more flights than counters for check-in. Lines used to be huge. That has been fixed as SW now has a big portion of the airport. The only issue with it is it is a long way out. It is closer to Baltimore than DC.
As someone who was traveling for business, I really appreciate the way BWI does the whole rental car thing. You take a shuttle to the Rental Car Center, and all of the various agencies are at the same central location.
Dulles, at least when I last went through it back in 2008 or 2009, was very much a pre-9/11 airport. Security was a nightmare. I assume they've fixed it.
The approach into Reagan isn't any steeper than anywhere else. Just a little more funtime "maneuvering" than others.
Agree with above - If you're not going to have a rental car, and you're planning to stay in DC throughout your trip, then DCA is the best choice, with all else being equal.
I also agree that getting to see the monuments as you're coming in to land is really, really cool.
I live about 30 minutes from Dulles, and I like it just fine, but it so big and crowded - especially for international flights.
I also agree that getting to see the monuments as you're coming in to land is really, really cool.
I live about 30 minutes from Dulles, and I like it just fine, but it so big and crowded - especially for international flights.
Dulles is a bizarre airport, very plain and sterile and a long way from downtown DC. DULLes is perfect name. They have been talking about running the DC Metro out to BWI for years, I wish they could make it happen. We get really cheap flights into BWI ($200 rt) on Southwest but the commute makes everything close to equal.
They are in the process of extending the Metro to Dulles, but it is going to be a long time before they extend it to BWI. You can already take the train (either Amtrak or MARC) from BWI to Union station in DC, where you can catch the Metro. The downside is that you have to take a free shuttle from the airport to the train station as the station is not actually at the airport even though it is labeled as the BWI station.
With as long as it took WMATA to finally open the silver line, it will be a decade before the metro reaches Dulles!
Rumor? Yes they are shorter, about 7100' for the main runway. That has nothing to do with the approach.
I live in Arlington and work at the Pentagon. Reagan (DCA) is very convenient and has some pretty cheap direct flights to JAX, Orlando and Miami.
Just landed at BWI for a short layover. Really nice airport. Great options for food. Restrooms are clean.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
To answer the OP, it depends on what I am going for. My wife has friends that line in Centreville area so when we go see them it is Dulles, as its 15 minutes from airport to their front door. Now if we are going for a DC visit, then its DCA. just hop the Metro or a cab to the hotel and then its Metro or walking the whole trip.
BWI is only if absolutely necessary, given the distance from friends place.
BWI is only if absolutely necessary, given the distance from friends place.
So, we're going to have a rental car, because we're going to be driving from philly.
With the family (wife and kids 10 & 8), is the metro safe? If we stay in Arlington, for example?
My preference is to still stay in Arlington, and fly out of DCA to Tampa, unless the price differential is significant.
The other option is that we're going to drive back to the Philly area and fly home from there. All quite up in the air still, so this thread is helping my options.
Thanks.
With the family (wife and kids 10 & 8), is the metro safe? If we stay in Arlington, for example?
My preference is to still stay in Arlington, and fly out of DCA to Tampa, unless the price differential is significant.
The other option is that we're going to drive back to the Philly area and fly home from there. All quite up in the air still, so this thread is helping my options.
Thanks.
Metro is safe. Arlington is central to most everything and has plenty to do. If you stay in Arlington, anywhere along the Orange Line (Courthouse, Clarendon, Ballston) or the Blue Line (Crystal City, Pentagon City) is good. Most places there will charge you for parking, so you might want to ditch the rental and cab it.
Have you thought about taking a train from Philly to DC?
The Metro is absolutely safe, just avoid it during rush as hours as it gets packed and hectic.
The Metro is absolutely safe, just avoid it during rush as hours as it gets packed and hectic.
Unless something catches on fire and the train cars fill with smoke while you're trapped inside the car trying to listen to the conductor over the broken PA system telling you to stay where you are and not to get off the train - in which case you could die.
I used to take Amtrak between Philadelphia and DC frequently. Easy ride, especially when compared to driving on I-95. However, it is not inexpensive.
To save a few dollars, I suppose that you could take SEPTA to Wilmington, then transfer to Amtrak there, but the schedules might not line up well.
