Thanks for the quick reply tjm!

I really hope they iron out any kinks -- I'm going to keep away from BWI for the time being!



In case anybody's interested, here's the Sun's overview:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/b...,4705859.story

and photo gallery:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/b...20111215112821

They have the millimeter-wave machine at the D-Concourse, none of the back-scatter machines. The millimeter-wave uses radio frequencies (RF) not the x-ray of the back-scatter scanners.

I second this. Yesterday (Sunday) at 3pm it took 20 minutes to clear security. Hopefully this will be fixed soon. It made me miss the very dumpy C Terminal.

So why the consolidation into D? Is WN expanding hub operations and taking over C as well?

I fly out of D a lot and the line can get pretty nasty ... STILL goes down to the E concourse a lot The elite line is the same as the crew line for the most part. In theory, it's good only for gold and above on the airlines that are there, plus F. In practice, I've never had any problems there even as a silver. Elite line is rarely busy.

BWI is in love with the Nude-O-Scopes in D and has been closing off the WTMD lines lately. D could get ugly anyway as it was normally a slow checkpoint, but it's gotten worse since the NoS are used more heavily.

AirTran moved to B to be with Southwest, opening up the 5 gates DL is using in D. BWI is going remodel C, create a new B/C security checkpoint, and create a behind security pathway between B and C, so they are trying to get the airlines out of it. JetBlue and Delta have moved now. I think AA will stay in C during this process.

was actually pretty good, once I got the car parked (two of the off airport lots that I use were 100% full and I didn't have my frequent parker cards with me); I ended up in the daily garage. I got there about 75 minutes ahead of my scheduled departure time on Monday 12/26.

This was my first time at BWI in at least six months (I've been flying out of DCA mostly). It was really odd to see the dark vacancy where the Delta counters had been since at least 1985 (and probably long before that). Delta is now the 4th stop on the parking shuttle bus.

At the entrance to Pier D, the elite line is not terribly conspicuous, but it does exist furthest to the right; I avoided the regular line which had about 50 people in it. Once beyond the TSA checker, the lines to the x-ray machines are sort of a mish-mash. I got in the line furthest to the right, behind 8 people. As it turned out, this line was using the WTMD; the other lines were using millimeter wave nude-o-scopes. I got through in about 15 minutes. The positioning of the equipment and the way the lines are set up there appear to be a recipe for chaos on busy flight days.

Pier D is Y shaped. Delta is on the left hand side of the Y.

Delta is using 6 gates in D, all of which are on your left--D3 is for regional jets; my flight to MSP used D5; then there is a food court/concession area; followed by D21, D23, D25 and D29 (there is a D27 door, but no jetway appeared to be attached to it). My return flight from MSP used D29. USAirways, United/Continental and jetBlue are also in D.

For Delta flyers at BWI, Wendy's and Potbelly's have been replaced by McDonalds and Quizno's. Ram's Head Tavern/Fordham Brewing has been replaced by The Greene Turtle. Pier D also has a Manchu Wok, an Auntie Anne's pretzel stand, Chesapeake Bay Roasting co. coffee stand and Mamma Ilardo's pizza; there are a couple of other bars in the concourse which were closed late Wednesday night.

The "pay per use" "Airborne Lounge" is the former United Red Carpet Club between Gates D10 and D12, on the right side of the Y.

Overall, if they can ever get the security situation at Pier D sorted out, the move to D is going to be an improvement for Delta flyers, as the concourse simply looks airier, brighter, cleaner and plusher than what we left behind in C (the end of which was built for Southwest in the late 90s).

Not in the past few months though.

Hi ND,

We are Airspace Lounge and we hope you had a chance to pop your head in the door. Keep in mind that our price is $17.50 and that includes any food item on our menu or a drink from our bar.

American Express Platinum and Centurion card members have complimentary access for themselves and family/2 guests and each receives that complimentary meal or drink.

We're very pleased that Delta has joined us on concourse D and hope to see you soon at Airspace.

I will be flying out of BWI on thursday and am hoping for some advice from you BWI frequenters. I am likely going to need to take the train up from Bethesda and my plan is to take the metro to the regional train that services BWI. I have never accessed the airport this way and is there anything that I need to keep in mind in doing so?

Thanks!

I wonder if they serve their Old Bay seasoned wings in this version of their restaurant?^

If not, I've never had any trouble with TSA questioning my Old Bay

You are going to be looking at about 30 minutes on the metro between Bethesda and Union Station, then about 35 minutes on the MARC train (a bit less if you go on Amtrak). Here's the MARC schedule (MARC trains only run Monday through Friday and not on weekends or holidays):

http://mta.maryland.gov/sites/defaul...nn_Nov2011.pdf

Here is another way to BWI on public transit that runs 7 days a week that you may not have considered. Take the Metro in the northbound direction, to the end of the line at Shady Grove. There is a new public bus, Route 201, that runs to BWI airport along the new Inter-County Connector toll road.

http://www.mtaiccbus.com/route201.html#mapsa

I saw this bus at BWI Wednesday night and it is a large new inter-city style coach, not a street bus.

This looks to be a little bit longer; however, this bus will drop you off at the BWI terminal--if you take the train, the BWI train station is at least 2 miles from the air terminal, and you have to wait for a shuttle bus, which may or may not be sitting outside the BWI train station when you arrive, then takes at least 10 minutes to drive over to the airport.

Enjoy your trip.

I'm glad they tore down the old DL check in counters.
Almost a year ago, the agent at the Medallion counter dropped my drivers license into a gap in the counter top. I was told that my license joined several others that had fallen into the gap over the years. The way the thing was built was terrible. The agent's computer terminal actually sat on top of a cardboard box. They ended up having a redcoat escort me to the TSA lines and try to explain to them that they had my only photo ID in their ticket counter and that they should let me through. The grumpy TSA manager couldn't believe that I carried no other form of photo ID. Duh.
I finally got my old license back in the mail a couple weeks ago with a nice crease in it.

Also the B30 bus that runs from Greenbelt Metro to BWI. Daily service about every 40 minutes.

The new pay-per-use lounge at BWI is in the space formerly occupied by UA's RCC (UC) which was the last domestic lounge to close at BWI.

The BWI market is low-fare based and caters to a different demographic than DCA & IAD. Unless DL intends to go after a different demographic. it's highly unlikely that it will build out a club, especially when there is one available for just $17.50.