Originally Posted by
NHGail
Hi all,
I checked the smoking lounge but this didn't seem to be addressed there. I have two trips this summer: one stopover at DCA and one at BWI. Both stopovers are at least an hour and a half. DCA is American; BWI is Southwest.
Question is, will I have time to sneak outside for a smoke and still make it back through security with time to spare? I am TSA preapproved but wasn't sure how busy those airports are in the morning. Arrival time will be between 8 - 9 am heading north and mid day on a weekend heading back home.
I have done this many times in the past but never at these two airports. Any advise would be appreciated.
Not familiar enough with BWI to comment on that location but DCA is so compact that while 9am is rush hour you should have no problem going outside to catch a few puffs of cancer and then getting back through to your gate in plenty of time. Should take about 5 minutes or less to go from gate to outside and 15 (to 30 in unusually backed up situation) minutes to reclear security and back to your gate.
AT DCA there are smoking areas outside of the lower level entrances at baggage claim/ground transportation or the upper level entrances at ticketing/checking.