Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - IAD / DCA Hotels & Travel

I am trusting the wealth of knowledge on the BA board for some advice in relation to an upcoming trip.

I am arriving in IAD on BA0265 and travelling to TPA the next day. I have options to fly from IAD to TPA or DCA to TPA the following morning. The costs are close but the flight times in the morning are better from DCA so staying around there may be more of an advantage.

No OW carriers appear to service that route and I am not going to take a non-direct flight for the TPs (very non-FT I appreicate).

On that basis what would people recommend? I can see the following options/questions:


How long does it take to travel between the airports? I would rather stay at a hotel adjacent/close to whichever airport I am travel from the next morning
How much do taxis cost say between IAD-DCA? Or is there a better way?
Will either airport be particularly easier the following morning?
Can anyone recommend a hotel for both IAD/DCA? I wont be spending much time there so it does not have to be 5*. Good breakfasts would be a bonus though as wont have lounge access at either airport?


If this needs to be moved, then Mods, please do so.

Thanks in advance,

NV

Public transport from IAD is non-existent!, well not strictly true you can get a bus which takes 45mins to an hour to go to the subway and then travel into DC.
a taxi I guess will be approx $75.

so as the 265 doesnt arrive until 6pm, I would save a lot of hassle and stay near IAD. I have no recommendations there - sorry!

Have you considered flying to Tampa that evening? There is a non-stop flight that departs IAD at 10:04 p.m. and arrives at 12:21 a.m. It looks like your flight lands somewhere near 6:00 p.m., so you should have plenty of time to clear customs, have dinner and go on to the next flight.

Having said that, it is a trek from IAD to DCA to catch a better flight and you would need to use a taxi. Travel towards DCA on weekday mornings can be difficult due to traffic. My search shows 3 non-stop flights from IAD to TPA. My search for hotels near IAD on Kayak shows a range of $85 to $200 per night.

Safe travels.

Have you considered flying to Tampa that evening? There is a non-stop flight that departs IAD at 10:04 p.m. and arrives at 12:21 a.m. It looks like your flight lands somewhere near 6:00 p.m., so you should have plenty of time to clear customs, have dinner and go on to the next flight.

Having said that, it is a trek from IAD to DCA to catch a better flight and you would need to use a taxi. Travel towards DCA on weekday mornings can be difficult due to traffic. My search shows 3 non-stop flights from IAD to TPA. My search for hotels near IAD on Kayak shows a range of $85 to $200 per night.

Safe travels.

Thanks cacic. I had thought about the evening flight to TPA but after the TATL flight, the prospect of another flight in the evening is not appealing.

The Washington Flyer coach service runs from the terminal to the West Falls Church metro station (about 20-25mins journey). It travels on the airport road, which is the same route any cab will take you on. You'd be another 20-25 mins in the metro to reach central DC (which is where DCA is).

Plenty of excellent hotels in central DC.

DCA is extremely central, giving you the option of getting into the city after arrival for a choice of places to eat. DCA has it's own metro stop which is obviously very handy.

Plenty of cabs at IAD, and from recollection you'd be about $75 to $100 to central DC. Traffic can be messy at peak times.

I’m not sure if this totally answers your question, but I have stayed in Alexandria before, which is quite a charming little spot, and is directly connected to DCA by the DC Metro (a few stops). Alexandria has an old town which is nice for a stroll of an evening, with lots of dining options etc, and there is a hotel very close to the Metro stop (although its name escapes me; we stayed in a Westin a few blocks away).

I agree that the Washington Flyer coach trip is usually 20-25 minutes to the metro (and NOT 45 minutes) BUT it generally only runs at 30-minute intervals so if your timing is unlucky, it can take nearly an hour just to get to the metro.
There's also a (much cheaper) public bus to the Rosslyn metro (or downtown to l'Enfant Plaza), but depending on the time of day, it may run even less frequently.

I’m not sure if this totally answers your question, but I have stayed in Alexandria before, which is quite a charming little spot, and is directly connected to DCA by the DC Metro (a few stops). Alexandria has an old town which is nice for a stroll of an evening, with lots of dining options etc, and there is a hotel very close to the Metro stop (although its name escapes me; we stayed in a Westin a few blocks away).

Home turf for us when in the US, so I'll pitch in. However, as I always have a rental car [we're long-stay] I have no idea about public transport and thus know nothing about it.

Advice, FWIW ... go to Alexandria, where are there are many, many hotels. You have a room for the night, and depending where you stay, loads of restaurants and [importantly] safe streets. My daughter did it as a solo woman last year, although we met up [we were a bit further out].

You are then a 10 minute cab ride from DCA.

So ... cab to Alexandria? $$$ I have no idea, but journey less than 1 hr unless you hit rush-hour. Usually takes us 45 minutes. Pleasant evening in Old Town. Quick cab ride to DCA in the morning.

Feel free to PM. I could even suggest some hotels to look at.

Hi,

Two hotels with free shuttles from IAD;

(1) Marriott- Very close to the airport car park
(2) Hilton ( maybe a 5-10minute shuttle ride)

Regards

TBS

If it were me, aside from the small mis-connect risk, I'd be looking to get to TPA that night then stay in the Marriott that's connected to the airport.

Even the closest hotel to IAD seemed to take us an age to get to on the shuttle when we overnighted there...

I haven't done it in a while but I think a cab from IAD to DC/DCA will be about $75, and Alexandria probably a few dollars more-- you might find car service is about the same.

On a weekday, traveling at 6-7 pm from IAD to DC/DCA will be generally against traffic, so it would probably be a little easier than doing the same trip at 8-9 am on a weekday morning.

Alexandria is a pretty good suggestion if you decide you want to fly out of DCA. If you want to stay even closer to the airport (and don't mind a less interesting neighborhood) you could consider Crystal City hotels. Alternatively, downtown DC isn't that much further from DCA by metro than Alexandria.

I generally find DCA a little easier to fly out of than IAD.

Not exactly arguing with any of the above, but my philosophy is "be where you need to be".

Bedding down at IAD is obviously desirable on arrival, but the departure from DCA is the critical point. The nearer to DCA you are, the less likely to be hit with traffic on the Beltway, I-66 or whatever.

Alexandria hotels are 10-20 minutes from DCA at worst, IAD hotels are roughly 1 hour [or 2+].

to the OP ... what time is the planned DCA departure? Traffic after, say, 0900 is insignificant by Greater DC standards.
Anything between 0700-0900 is ....

I always stay at the Embassy Suites North Dulles on Waxpool Road, but that is because I am working 2 miles away. They have a free shuttle to IAD and do a good breakfast. With your flight arriving at 6pm you might even make the free drinks.

If you can rent a car for the day that would be the way I would do it as it is pretty cheap. Also you could have dinner at Parallel Wine Bistro in Ashburn or Mokomandy (Korean/Cajan) in Great Falls, two of my favorites in the area. You would have to drive to DCA, but that isn't too much of an issue. From the Embassy Suites I would use the 28, the 7 then the 66 to get towards DC avoiding the tolls. The traffic isn't usually too bad either, I have driven into DC a few times this year, including a 09:30 appointment at The White House. On the other hand Alexandria can be hell for traffic. I spent 2 hours getting through there last weekend.

On the other hand Alexandria can be hell for traffic. I spent 2 hours getting through there last weekend.
The OP is arriving at IAD at 1800 [6pm] so, by the time he/they are through Immigration and Reclaim it will be nearer 1900. The Beltway will be almost dead [or as far as it ever is] at that time.

The 28, 7 and 66 will be traffic signals all the way. Dulles Approach Road, 495S, 395N and Duke Street would have a taxi in Old Town in an hour. Sheet, I do that in around 1 hour or less at around 1500 every time we go.

We still don't know what time the OP's departure from DCA is scheduled. But it's still better to be "very near" than "quite close'.

1. If you prefer the DCA departure, plan on a taxi for $75 + tip. Alternatively, arrange a car service (through Red Top Sedan -- not Red Top Taxi -- Cost is approx. $110 (incl tip) and they will meet you after entry formalities.

2. Lots of decent hotels within 5-minute hotel-supplied shuttle of DCA. I would check rates against what you are looking for. Most of these places are so close that you could walk but for highways and luggage.

3. Alexandria is charming, but not particularly convenient if your goal is to rest up and get on a plane in the AM.

Personally, I would either tough it out and get to TPA late at night or stay at one of the decent IAD places (one of the Marriotts) and fly out of IAD in the AM.

Over to the relevant Travel & Dining section for more input.

Swanhunter
Moderator, BAEC

1. If you prefer the DCA departure, plan on a taxi for $75 + tip. Alternatively, arrange a car service (through Red Top Sedan -- not Red Top Taxi -- Cost is approx. $110 (incl tip) and they will meet you after entry formalities.

2. Lots of decent hotels within 5-minute hotel-supplied shuttle of DCA. I would check rates against what you are looking for. Most of these places are so close that you could walk but for highways and luggage.

3. Alexandria is charming, but not particularly convenient if your goal is to rest up and get on a plane in the AM.

Personally, I would either tough it out and get to TPA late at night or stay at one of the decent IAD places (one of the Marriotts) and fly out of IAD in the AM.

In my opinion, best advice offered by anyone. I would stay put and fly out of
IAD...plenty of hotels and shuttle service not that bad.

Sheraton IAD can be had for $55-$65 depending on starpicks availablity.

I work in that area monthly and will join with the locals in advising against taking that trip from IAD to DCA. Traffic in Northern VA is notoriously difficult most of the time and planning to fight it for any reason other than true necessity is not the wisest course.

Also, as noted above, there are plenty of good hotels and quite decent restaurants around IAD. I can vouch for the hotel restaurants at the Westin Dulles and the Hyatt Regency Reston which would allow you to have a few drinks with dinner and not worry about getting back afterwards.

If you are firm on going in to DCA (which BTW is in Northern VA and not Central DC), you will have just tacked on another journey (that has a possibility of being a very difficult one) to the one you have already taken and IMO it would not differ much from the journey on the 10PM to TPA that you said that you do not care to take.

reston has mainly chain food. herndon is an ethnic kingdom. there are a number of the "best in dc" or close.

Given that the OP will not be out of customs before 7:00pm and flying out in the morning, I would suspect that charming Alexandria and good ethnic restaurants may not be amongst his/her highest concerns, although that information may be useful to other readers.

There is public transportation between IAD and DCA, but it takes a fair amount of time and is would require a minimum of one change and quite possibly two. Since the OP has expressed the desire not to continue on to Tampa that same evening, I think using public transportation is probably a no-go.

This leaves two options:

1) Stay at one of the nearby hotels at Dulles, which are likely to be cheaper, and fly out of Dulles in the morning.

2) Take a taxi (75$) that night, to a hotel in Crystal City and fly out of DCA in the morning. Hotels in Crystal City are likely to be more expensive for the same quality in Crystal City than at Dulles.

As indicated by others, airport hotels, whether near Dulles or DCA will have shuttles to transport you to the airport. Also, you don't want to even think about taking the taxi in the morning. Too much risk of traffic messing up your plans.

Basically, I would do a quick hotel search on Kayak or similar website for the two locations and then determine how much it is worth to you to get a more convenient flight out of DCA.