Originally Posted by
brendog
DCA is small, dated, and extremely convenient to the city. While it's not my favourite airport, it is Metro accessible and a 15 minute cab ride from my apartment, so I don't mind it. It also has a few airline clubs if you're a member, although those are small and dated as well.
IAD is large, dated, and (comparatively) inconvenient to the city, but it has a tonne of flights all over N. America and the globe. If I'm flying internationally or transcon, IAD is my choice.
In theory, DC does have another airport, BWI. It is dated, inconvenient (Depending on traffic, at least 45 minutes to the city, and the rental car complex is actually located in Delaware...), and infested with LCCs.
I haven't been to IAD since 1974 so can't speak of that airport but I wonder why you call both DCA & BWI 'dated'?
At BWI the car rental facility is off site but hardly in Delaware or anywhere that I would consider far away. It is a quick 5 minute shuttle ride. BWI to downtown can be done in about 30 minutes during slow traffic times. Yes, lots of LCCs but that also makes for nice deals.
