Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - Into IAD and out of DCA on one ticket?

I just realized after (entirely my fault) booking my ticket through my company website like I always do that my next flight home lands in IAD and leaves out of DCA three hours later on a Friday afternoon. I'm fine with the logistics; I'll make my boss pay for the cab and I don't check bags, but I was curious if this was a standard practice? I've never seen a single ticket arrive in one airport and leave out of another before. It seems like the airline (United) wouldn't do this to passengers without at least notifying them or providing ground transportation. I never even noticed when I booked the flight since it just said I had a layover in DC of 3 hours; I can't imagine how upset I'd have been if I only realized this when I showed up at IAD. I was planning to spend my afternoon in the United lounge, looks like I'll be spending it in traffic instead :td:

every traveler needs a wet nurse.

orbitz notes the different airports when booking. bwi, dca, and iad are considered a single destination as far as ticketing. must be careful not to leave from one, arrive at the other, and then go looking for your car. also, i would put the odds of you making your flight at about 3 out of 4. the traffic, or a lack of cabs(it does happen) and you do not make it.

every traveler needs a wet nurse.

orbitz notes the different airports when booking. bwi, dca, and iad are considered a single destination as far as ticketing. must be careful not to leave from one, arrive at the other, and then go looking for your car. also, i would put the odds of you making your flight at about 3 out of 4. the traffic, or a lack of cabs(it does happen) and you do not make it.

In a cab, I put the chances at under 50%. It's a haul from IAD arrivals gates to the roadway. There is also construction inbound and that will slow you even if it weren't Friday rush hour. Add DCA checkpoint delays on Friday afternoon and this is risky.

You can reduce risk by booking a car service and having them meet you at baggage claim (even though you haven't checked anything). Won't reduce the traffic delays, but you can shave minutes off taxi lines.

In a cab, I put the chances at under 50%. It's a haul from IAD arrivals gates to the roadway. There is also construction inbound and that will slow you even if it weren't Friday rush hour. Add DCA checkpoint delays on Friday afternoon and this is risky.

You can reduce risk by booking a car service and having them meet you at baggage claim (even though you haven't checked anything). Won't reduce the traffic delays, but you can shave minutes off taxi lines.

What time in the afternoon? 2:00 pm afternoon or 5:00 pm afternoon. If the latter (and if you have bags, I'd be concerned). If the former, not so concerned. It's 40 minutes in clear sailing from IAD-DCA on the Dulles Access Road and I-66. But I-66 is a mess inbound into DC as the afternoon progresses. If your cab driver is good, he'll know if I-66 is backed up and may instead take you Access road to the Beltway to the GW Parkway which should not be as impacted as 66 (although the 11.5 mile stretch of the Beltway will be backed up).

In any event, your itinerary seems odd. A straight UA-UA connection with a connecting flight out of DCA seems very out of the ordinary. Perhaps its a UA flight into IAD and a US flight (coded as UA) out of DCA?

The car service reservation is a good idea.

Can you cancel or change the ticket at reasonable cost? If it was just purchased, a 24 hour free cancel rule might apply. The change fee might not cost much more than cab fare. If you miss the connection, are there later flights to your destination the same day?

Thanks for all the suggestions and insight.

What time in the afternoon? 2:00 pm afternoon or 5:00 pm afternoon.

I get into IAD at 3:26pm and depart DCA at 6:36pm.

In any event, your itinerary seems odd. A straight UA-UA connection with a connecting flight out of DCA seems very out of the ordinary. Perhaps its a UA flight into IAD and a US flight (coded as UA) out of DCA?

This is really what I was wondering; it seems like such an odd booking. I was thinking this meant the airline would shuttle me over there like I've had done from SFO-SJC but I guess I will do my own shuttling.

They both have UA flight numers but the one out of DCA says "Operated by Skywest Airlines dba United Express". I see UA and US flights from DCA-CLE.

If you miss the connection, are there later flights to your destination the same day?

The 6:36pm appears to be the last flight until the next morning so I guess I'll be spending quality time in the lounge if I miss it.

Yes done this at least twice now. I admit I had more than 3 hours though. Good luck.

Off topic but I do consider this easier than a EWR to LGA transfer which I have done twice when I used to fly CO

Thanks for all the suggestions and insight.



I get into IAD at 3:26pm and depart DCA at 6:36pm.




A 3:26 pm arrival is a flight from MCI to IAD. Thats a CRJ-700.

3:30 on a Friday.....erm.

Better have a car waiting for you. If you want, I have a name of a very good driver who will bust a$$ to get you to DCA. Others on FT have used him. PM me if you want his info. Don't check any bags!

There's a cheap $6 bus from IAD (exit door 4 on arrival letter) and look for STOP 2B and for MetroBus 5A. It leaves every hour at 40 past the hour. Takes about 50 minutes to get to Rosslyn metro stop. You could take the blue line from Rosslyn towards Franconia Springs 4 stops down to DCA.

If you're timing is right it shouldn't be a problem. WAS is one of the few places in USA where there is a decent public transportation (bus + train) to all 3 airports: BWI, DCA and IAD.

There's a cheap $6 bus from IAD (exit door 4 on arrival letter) and look for STOP 2B and for MetroBus 5A. It leaves every hour at 40 past the hour. Takes about 50 minutes to get to Rosslyn metro stop. You could take the blue line from Rosslyn towards Franconia Springs 4 stops down to DCA.

If you're timing is right it shouldn't be a problem. WAS is one of the few places in USA where there is a decent public transportation (bus + train) to all 3 airports: BWI, DCA and IAD.

Good suggestion for the 5A Metrobus overall, but lots of errors in the details.
(1) Exit door 4 down the ramp to the Ground Transportation Level (not to the Arrivals Level which is up the ramp).
(2) The curb location for the bus stop is 2E (not 2B).
(3) At that time on weekdays, the bus leaves every 30 minutes (not every hour) - specifically 3:45pm, 4:15pm, 4:45pm, etc. See: http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/dc/05a.pdf
(4) The Blue Line destination is "Franconia Springfiled" - not "Franconia Springs").

Note that exact cash fare is required - no change is made on the bus.

Hope this helps.

Good information about the metrobus. I live in DC and if works is paying for it, I always cab home. I'm usually coming in from a international flight and don't want to deal with the metrobus or metro.

I would advise getting a car service or cab (Washington Flyer) with that connection; they are both about the same price. If I take the metro out to IAD, I always allow 2 hours to get to the airport.

DCA is a small airport and if you have status on the airline you are flying out of, you can by pass the longer lines in security. Although, Friday will be busier like the other posters have mentioned.

Two things you need to consider if you are arriving on a Friday afternoon at Dulles:

1. Immigration at Dulles are horribly long and incredibly slow
2. Rush hour traffic in DC, especially on Friday, is atrocious.

Definitely pre-arrange a car service so you won't have to wait in the taxi queue. At least DCA is a very efficient and medium sized airport - you won't have much of a line at security, although you might want to print out your boarding passes/check-in on your smart phone first.

Thanks for all the suggestions and insight.



I get into IAD at 3:26pm and depart DCA at 6:36pm.


The traffic into DC from Dulles Airport will be really ,really bad at that hour. The toll road will back up from about the toll booths all the way to Fairfax Dr exit on 66, then GW Parkway will be deadstop near the 395 ramps. I would say you have a slim chance of making this. Sorry for the bad news,.