Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - DCA - Can you stay airside between UA and F9?

In order to use the United RCC when flying out on a Frontier flight?

You can't stay airside and I'm not even sure that the TSA folks would let you into the RCC pier with a Frontier boarding pass.

I've had good success at various airports lately,
DCA among them, using a bp for one pier to get
to the club at another. I'd suggest trying to use
the F9 pass at the B south security to use the CO
lounge, which is closer than the UA one. If this
doesn't work, the CO ticket agents will issue a
gate pass to PC/RCC members (thanks to cova
for this information and in-person demonstration).

You can't stay airside and I'm not even sure that the TSA folks would let you into the RCC pier with a Frontier boarding pass.
You can't stay airside, but TSA has recently changed its policy nationwide. With a few exceptions related to certain intl. flights (not applicable to DCA), so long as you have a BP for any pier, you can enter all piers. You won't be able to use the elite line and it is possible that the sub-contractor employee doing the preliminary BP check or the TSO doing the ID match may point out that you are at the "wrong" concourse, but that's to be helpful to you.

That said, be careful of the A checkpoint lines. Lately can be 45 mins +, so unless you've got several hours before your flight, I would not attempt this.

That said, be careful of the A checkpoint lines. Lately can be 45 mins +, so unless you've got several hours before your flight, I would not attempt this.

Security at A *is* often a nightmare, but it depends partly on the time of day. I was through security at A twice last week - once around noon and once around 4:30 pm, and neither time did it take more than five or six minutes, so I wouldn't necessarily eliminate the PC option without checking out A security first. And given the absolute zoo that A often is airside, I'd do anything I could to spend my time elsewhere.

If you look at a terminal map (e.g., http://www.metwashairports.com/image/DCA_Map_details_01_2011.jpg), you can see the two terminals are some distance apart. Terminal A is, as I recall, where the original National Airport terminal is. It's a bit of a walk, but not too bad. No physical way to do it "air side."

If you want to know for sure in advance, phone the club. The Alaska Airllines club at LAX, for example, advertises that anyone with membership (or day pass) can use their club, even if not flying, due to an arrangement with the TSA.

when the never happens backup at C pier was there and i was short on time, i went through security on B. the TSI person politely pointed out to me that i was in the wrong place. i told him i thought it to be faster to go through B security and catch the us air shuttle to C. i think that was a lot faster.

by the way, i hit the airport at about 1100 on thurs. the backup for C security was at least 3X the corral space. is that normal?

one does not get ff miles for riding the US pier shuttle.