Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - SFO-IAD vs SFO-ORD-DCA

I'm helping a friend plan a trip to Washington DC for a meeting there. I'm trying to convince her to take a connection to fly into DCA rather than flying to IAD nonstop because from what I hear, IAD is really really inconvenient to get to downtown DC? She's looking for overall trip time/convenience (which means ground time as well). Any thoughts?

and side note: she managed to get her driver's license suspended so renting a car is out of the question, and she doesn't want to pay for airport shuttle/taxis, and she's going in March/April so ORD weather shouldn't be a factor.

I'm helping a friend plan a trip to Washington DC for a meeting there. I'm trying to convince her to take a connection to fly into DCA rather than flying to IAD nonstop because from what I hear, IAD is really really inconvenient to get to downtown DC? She's looking for overall trip time/convenience (which means ground time as well). Any thoughts?

What's more inconvenient? A slightly longer (45 min v. 15 min) cab ride from the airport into downtown vs. connecting in ORD, adding significant risk of a mis-connect or weather delays, not to mention the extra travel time of taking two flights and the ground connection time, which great exceeds the extra time getting to/from Dulles? If she is there to attend a meeting, I would think your friend could have her transportation to/from Dulles covered, right?

To me, taking the nonstop is a no brainer, especially if traveling for work and/or traveling in the winter or summer when weather delays (or in the case of last week even airport closures) in ORD are common.

If she's going to downtown DC for a meeting, I think DCA is a no brainer, even with the connection. Dulles is about a $70 cab ride from downtown, as opposed to maybe $15 from DCA. Better yet, taking the metro from DCA will cost her less than $3 to get where she needs to go.

I admit, I'm biased...I live in Alexandria, VA, about five minutes from DCA, as opposed to 45 mins to an hour from Dulles...so I will take one stop from DCA over a non stop from Dulles in almost every circumstance. I think Dulles is so far from DC, and such a pain to get to with traffic, that it almost shouldn't have the word "Washington" in the title. Plus, DCA requires much less time on the front end, as security and getting to your gate takes less time.

The only wild card in your friend's scenario is ORD...I know it can be a pain, especially this time of year, so you need to weigh that into the equation.

This is far more topical in the Washington D.C. Forum; thanks.

FlyinHawaiian, Co-Moderator
United Mileage Plus Forum

both ord and dca are much more prone to delays. however, it seems this person has a lot more time than money, so she should do the long way to dca.

Since DCA will get her 39 more EQMs each way, it's clearly the better choice! ;)

Seriously though, if she's unfamiliar with the DC area, I would recommend she fly into DCA. When I go to unfamiliar places I like keep things simple at the final destination and taking advantage of the airline's support for as much of the journey as I can. So in this case, she'll have the airline to help her with any problems in ORD and they have multiple daily flights from ORD-DCA. Once on the ground, DCA provides a much shorter and simpler journey to her final destination. Otherwise, it's probably a toss up in terms of time, convenience and price, especially if she actually going to downtown DC.

As someone who lives in DC, I'm learned the ins and outs of get to/from each airport so for me other factors come into play. Even though I live about 15min from DCA often fly from IAD despite the greater hassles of getting there.

All that said, here's my analysis for your friend:

Total travel time - This seems to be a toss-up.
The IAD non-stop wins airport to airport saving 1.5 hours according to United's estimates. However, she will use up every minute of that at IAD getting from gate to terminal and then to downtown DC. The most cost effective and relatively efficient means of getting to DC from IAD that I know of is the 5A Express Metrobus. It leaves IAD every 30-40min and for $6 it will take you to the subway at Rosslyn VA (near Georgetown) or L'Enfant Plaza in DC (near National Mall). This bus only makes two other stops and takes about 40 min to Rosslyn and 1hr to L'Enfant Plaza. Then you have subway to wherever she's ultimately going, probably 10 min.

The DCA flight would take 1.5 hours longer but it would bring her within 10 min and $2.35 (by subway) of the DC border and probably another 10 min to her final destination.

Ease of getting from airport/gate to downtown - DCA wins this hands down. It has direct walking access to DC's clean and generally efficient subway system, proximity to downtown DC (5 miles vs 30 miles) and gates close to main terminal (no mobile lounge-ML or train from terminal to gate). IAD has walk to ML or train, ride ML/train to terminal, terminal to 5A bus, then 5A bus to subway.

Price - IAD usually has an advantage with the 5A bus since airfares are usually cheaper than DCA (e.g., $169 vs $241 on 2/28 on UA). Obviously, taking a cab or shuttle from IAD reduces this differential.

Other Intangibles - DCA wins on views. Most often this flight will come down the Potomac from the north given beautiful views of monuments Washington flying into DCA (window seat on left side of plane). Also there great views across the river from the DCA terminal and on the subway to DC (yellow line). DCA also is a bit less busy and the proportion of experienced flyers if probably higher. (This might help on the return flight).

Traffic from IAD. On the 5A bus this usually isn't as big a factor as it might seem given the DC area's traffic problems. It uses two limited access roads for much of its route, somewhat limiting exposure to the congestion.

BTW, here's a link to the DC Metro System (http://www.wmata.com/index.cfm) for bus and subway information.

Good luck on the decision and tell your friend to check out the Cherry Blossoms if they're still around when she' here.

both ord and dca are much more prone to delays. however, it seems this person has a lot more time than money, so she should do the long way to dca.

Exactly right. When I was a student in DC and living in Arlington and had lots of time but little $$, I didn't mind waiting around in airports to save a few $$ when I flew back and forth from the west coast, I typically few into DCA also. I had assumed that the OP's friend was going for a business meeting and that there would be more of a premium on her time and also getting work done on the flights to/from DC. It's a lot easier to get work done on a nonstop 4.5 flight and a 45 minute cab ride than taking two connecting flights and running around ORD in between. Also, when flying eastbound from SFO to IAD, unless she's taking a red-eye, her flight will land in the late afternoon or evening, making the trip into DC likely to be traffic-free in my experience (and can get work done on that trip also). Without traffic, it won't take 1.5 hours from IAD to town (granted, getting from the gate to the curb at IAD will take about 10 mins more on average than at DCA).

But if the OP's friend would like better views of the city and access to the metro and doesn't mind the hassle of connecting and risk of spending the night in ORD to save a few $$, then fly to DCA assuming that she can get the same fare or cheaper into DCA, which may or may not be the case.

[B]Other Intangibles - DCA wins on views. Most often this flight will come down the Potomac from the north given beautiful views of monuments Washington flying into DCA (window seat on left side of plane). Also there great views across the river from the DCA terminal and on the subway to DC (yellow line).


.

most flights land from the south. sit on the right side of the plane and get an excellent view of my house we live 4 minutes out on the east side of the river.

What's more inconvenient? A slightly longer (45 min v. 15 min) cab ride from the airport into downtown vs. connecting in ORD, adding significant risk of a mis-connect or weather delays, not to mention the extra travel time of taking two flights and the ground connection time, which great exceeds the extra time getting to/from Dulles? If she is there to attend a meeting, I would think your friend could have her transportation to/from Dulles covered, right?

To me, taking the nonstop is a no brainer, especially if traveling for work and/or traveling in the winter or summer when weather delays (or in the case of last week even airport closures) in ORD are common.

Many of us living in DC would disagree. The convenience factor of DCA often outweighs the simplicity of the non-stop. Dealing with IAD security alone is enough to make MANY DC area residents write off IAD from the get-go.

Many of us living in DC would disagree. The convenience factor of DCA often outweighs the simplicity of the non-stop. Dealing with IAD security alone is enough to make MANY DC area residents write off IAD from the get-go.

I completely agree. I'm a resident and find DCA amazingly easy and quick to use. I will always opt to depart and arrive from DCA given the choice.

Getting from IAD to/from downtown DC can be a nightmare. That journey in a car can take over an hour with ease if you hit even moderate traffic! Also note that the Metro Orange line that goes out to West Falls Church (where you then catch the bus for another 20 minutes minimum) can be very crowded at rush hours.

The convenience and ease-of-use of DCA soundly trumps IAD IMO.

Another intangible that doesn't get talked about much is the baggage delivery speeds at IAD versus DCA.

I've had plenty of times where I get off the plane in the central pier and walk quickly (no more than five minutes from plane to carousel) and my baggage, and ALL of the other bags are on the belt, with the belt stopped already.

Compare that to the long journey (I take my time, on purpose) from the far off gates at IAD, down on the train, the long walk back up to humanity to find that the bags still have at least 10/15 minutes before they are coming off. Add in the people fighting for spaces around the carousel - and I'll again take DCA any time, even BWI is better in this regard than IAD!

-jeremy

I think Dulles is so far from DC, and such a pain to get to with traffic, that it almost shouldn't have the word "Washington" in the title.

Come on! Should Newark and Kennedy not be labelled as "New York"? Getting from midtown Manhattan to JFK can take as long as from DC to Dulles....

Come on! Should Newark and Kennedy not be labelled as "New York"? Getting from midtown Manhattan to JFK can take as long as from DC to Dulles....

I think Dulles should be re-named Narita! :D

I think Dulles should be re-named Narita! :D

That would imply that IAD has a train to match the Narita Express. Not so. [sigh]

To return to the original discussion, IAD would be a little less of a nuisance if the OP's friend were to fly B6 or VX than UA, owing to the crumminess of UA's C/D terminal. But overall, if she's willing to trade layover time for commute-from-IAD time, she will probably find DCA much more to her liking. Especially if she takes BART--Metro fares and tickets work almost the same.

Just don't have her book an itinerary that requires making the last flight to DCA from ORD.

As an out-of-towner who has flown into the DC area every month for more years than I care to remember, I will agree with those who try to avoid IAD at all costs.

And this is even though the airports are almost equidistant from my office in Northern Virginia and I don't need to go those frequently impossible (and always dreaded) last 10 miles on 66 into the District.

If it is not a long connection <1.5 hr, I go with DCA ... less people and orderly. There is a metro station right there.

If weather and delay is a factor, avoid ORD.

If she does go with IAD, there are public transportation options ... Metrobus Express 5A avai. every 30 minutes weekdays and every hr weekends at $6. Its stops at Pentagon station (an hr ride) and the downtown station (1.5 hr ride). It would be helpful to travel light.

She can take the 5A/B Metro bus to and from without a problem. i think it's $6 bucks each way. Will bring her to Rossyln where she can get the Metro (orange or blue) or L'Enfant Plaza where she can also get the Metro (Green, yellow, orange or blue). Too many variable flying with a connection thru ORD.

I always prefer a connection through ORD to DCA over a non-stop to IAD on West Coast to/from DC trips. It's not just the nuisance of a 45-60 minute ride from IAD into DC, but the extra time it takes to get from the IAD mid-field gates to the main terminal. The new aerotrain is no help because the train terminal for the C gates is a very long walk. Although I don't often check luggage, if you have luggage checked into DC, you will wait forever at IAD. My only exception is mid-Winter when I make a judgment call depending on weather.

As I regularly fly SFO-IAD, I've actually grown rather fond of it, especially since that way I can take Virgin America ;) I've never found the cab ride from IAD to be much of a hassle, have not had any security issues there, and actually really enjoy my usual Potbelly's sandwich + gingerbread chai latte Capitol Grounds coffee shop combination that I get every time I go there. I would rather spend a little extra time and planning getting to/from the airport for that chance to relax there, whereas switching planes because of the nearness of DCA is just exhausting. The last time I did it I was so worn out that I swore I'd never do it again. Much prefer IAD.

Of course if you're the one who has to go pick up the friend I would by all means urge them to do the DCA option :rolleyes: