John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints

Dulles Airport, Washington DC/Virginia (IAD)

Firstly, don't confuse Dulles Airport (Washington DC) with the city of Dallas, Texas thousands of miles away. Secondly, Dulles Airport which is located in Virginia, well to the west of the city of Washington DC, should not be confused with the much smaller Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport which is located close to the centre of the city.

Mnemonic for remembering the airport code: "International Airport, Dulles"

Dulles Airport now has two terminals, the original main terminal and a new "mid-field" terminal.

A unique and somewhat bizarre system is used at Dulles. At most airports planes draw up to jetways, which are enclosed ramps that connect to the terminal building. At Dulles, however, planes park well away from the main terminal building and special buses convey passengers between the two. These buses, called "mobile lounges", have passenger compartments which rise up so as to align their passenger doors with the plane doors.

Some planes draw up to the "mid-field" terminal, which has normal jetways. However, the mobile lounges are then used to ferry passengers to the main terminal. Did nobody consider building an underground passage between the terminals rather than having planes and buses milling about over the same area of tarmac, one wonders?

The mid-field terminal, which is beyond security, has a McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Burger King.

Dulles Airport is well out in the country in Virginia, many miles west of Washington DC itself, so road access is extremely straightforward - just about the easiest of any large airport that we know. It is possible to turn north or south onto Va28 just outside the airport and so avoid the Dulles Access Road. There is a large shopping area on Va28 a short way south of the airport with gas stations and fast food restaurants.

Rental cars are located in a series of open air parking lots, one for each operator, reached via a special exit none too well signposted from the Dulles Access Road between Va28 and the main terminal. You can use this short section of the Dulles Access Road without paying a toll.

Dulles Airport is not served by Metrorail, Washington DC's subway system. In February 2004 there were calls to speed up the extension of a line to Dulles.

The nearby Manassas National Battlefield Park commemorates the two Civil War battles of Manassas (Bull Run) and is well worth a visit.

Security

In my experience receipts for suitcases are never checked when leaving the baggage return area, allowing any passenger to easily take anyone else's property by accident or on purpose.

External Links

Dulles International Airport, Washington DC/Virginia

Checked Jan-00.

First night accommodation for Washington DC/Dulles Airport

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Most recently modified 8-Feb-04