andymcdonnell

Im looking for some advice. Planning to fly LHR-Washington next summer in J. There’s obviously the direct flights to Dulles but I’ve heard it’s miles out. It’s the same price to fly AA to PHL, RDU or ORD and connect and fly into DCA

Suggestions?

Globaliser

If you connect somewhere else in the US to get to DCA for the purposes of going to Washington DC itself, I think it's pretty much guaranteed that you will waste more time doing that than travelling in from Dulles (which I think is about the same distance from the city centre as Gatwick is from central London).

If you have other reasons for going on a roundabout route, then that's all very well. But if you're interested in the non-stop to IAD, it's there to take people to that city.

catandmouse

IAD isn't by far the most pleasant point of entry into the USA. The moon buggies were quite fun 20 or 30 years ago, but they have far outlived their shelf life and immigration can be very, very slow.
However if your final destination is Washington, I doubt that the inconveniencies of IAD outweigh transiting to domestic flights in another US airport.

corporate-wage-slave

Assuming you aren't in World Traveller (and this forum must be the only place where we can make these assumptions!) then have a look at BWI now that it is on the 787s. Weekdays it is well connected by good public transport to Washington, the experience in the air will be good, and the point to point time - depending on your precise location in Washington - is likely to be excellent. Immigration one of the best in the USA. PHL is also on a fairly good train service to Washington so will normally beat IAD, but while my experiences through immigration at PHL have been great others here have had slowness getting out. Still, it will be faster than IAD's drawn out processes. DCA is lovely, so long as it isn't whacked by bad weather. You're out the door and on to the world's most over-spec'd metro system in minutes. Love it. But that means changing somewhere and unless there is some splurge factor (e.g. LCY-JFK) it's going to be less hassle spread out over a longer time (and therefore worse).

Can't see where ORD fits in here, but it's not a great place to transfer, CLT is about the best, but that means flying past and back again. RDU, well you'll be out landside in minutes, very swift, and you may have some empty seats around you in any cabin, but unless you're in the BigPharma / naval line of business it's probably not the best option. It's great if you want to get somewhere within an hour of RDU but frankly I'm surprised that service limps on.

If in WT then I'd be angling for an A380 upper deck service to IAD and forgive everything else!

Lefly

To me it depends from if you plan to use public or private transit to reach your hotel/home, how much luggage you will have, where in Washington you're going to stay and if there are kids involved.
IAD is served well enough by public transit, but there are connection involved: the metro doesn't arrive at the airport and you have to get a bus to the first available station. Or there are direct buses going to l'Enfant Plaza where to connect to the metro, if I recall correctly. Any way, 1 hr or less and you're in town.
DCA is 3/4 metro stops from Washington, and there are shuttle bus available for many of the hotel in crystal city (more convenient area in term of hotel prices). Taxi fare are of course less from there than from IAD.

About IAD immigration: I was there on the 24th December, almost ahead of a full A380 as I learned here the right moon buggy manoeuvre , and I was through in 5 minutes. Then I had to wait 45 min for the bag to show...

710 77345

Go to Dulles direct every time.

scottishpoet

My experience in and out of Dulles was fine.

I took the Silverline express bus to connect with the metro and then the metro into the city

The journey time would have been less than the transit time (around 45 minutes to 1 hour).

T8191

As already noted, a lot hinges on where in Washington the OP is heading. Will he/she be renting a car, or relying on Public Transport/Taxis? And how are they getting on with the Metro connection? We haven't been through for 2 years, but it was starting to look close to completion.

I confess we've had no real difficulties at IAD in the last few years, but a lot hinges on where you're sitting on the aircraft. Getting off quickly, and getting into the right place on the 'People Eater', makes a LOT of difference to the immigration process. And we always rent a car, because we tend to stay out in the suburbs rather than in central DC.

KARFA

I just looked it up as was wondering that is surely must be nearly finished. The new section which passes IAD won't be open until 2020 at the earliest.

dougzz

IAD is not the worse starting point for arrival to D.C., but I personally prefer to change elsewhere and arrive at DCA. Can’t offer any real justification for this. If you’ve not done IAD before it might be worth it for the buggie ride.

dougzz

darthlemsip

bisonrav

I'd have to look it up, but I think an Uber from Dulles to DCA is about $40-50 and takes 40 minutes or so, it's not a big deal. You can also hire a car at Dulles and it's a pretty easy drive into town.

For choice - and this is a trip I do a fair amount - I'd always fly into Dulles. I've occasionally routed through DCA when I'm visiting Boston on the way in or out, but I'd rather come in direct.

dcmike

Please don't ask the same question in multiple fora of FT, as it is against the rules of use.

Brisbane Road