IAD versus DCA
Sep 15, 2011 | 6:23 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Premier Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 441
Not sure where you are from, but rush hour in DC can last until 10 AM. You are going against the flow, which should help a lot, but I'd still budget 30 minutes if it's before 10.
Sep 22, 2011 | 6:16 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAC Silver, IHG Diamond, Finnair Silver, LH Senator
Posts: 9,387
What about BWI?
THere's a cheaper option at 83 now out of BWI compared to a minimum of 100 ($155?) out of DCA and IAD.
Seems to be about 25-30 mins by Amtrak to BWI for $11 (standard coach seat) or maybe $6 by a bus (vs $66 by cab)
Think Union Station is only a few stops from L'Enfant Plaza station which is the nearest to me. Not exactly sure which terminal American Airlines flies out of as some forms of transport have a couple of stops.
THere's a cheaper option at 83 now out of BWI compared to a minimum of 100 ($155?) out of DCA and IAD.
Seems to be about 25-30 mins by Amtrak to BWI for $11 (standard coach seat) or maybe $6 by a bus (vs $66 by cab)
Think Union Station is only a few stops from L'Enfant Plaza station which is the nearest to me. Not exactly sure which terminal American Airlines flies out of as some forms of transport have a couple of stops.
Sep 22, 2011 | 6:37 am
#18
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Million Miler, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 1,439
What about BWI?
THere's a cheaper option at 83 now out of BWI compared to a minimum of 100 ($155?) out of DCA and IAD.
Seems to be about 25-30 mins by Amtrak to BWI for $11 (standard coach seat) or maybe $6 by a bus (vs $66 by cab)
Think Union Station is only a few stops from L'Enfant Plaza station which is the nearest to me. Not exactly sure which terminal American Airlines flies out of as some forms of transport have a couple of stops.
THere's a cheaper option at 83 now out of BWI compared to a minimum of 100 ($155?) out of DCA and IAD.
Seems to be about 25-30 mins by Amtrak to BWI for $11 (standard coach seat) or maybe $6 by a bus (vs $66 by cab)
Think Union Station is only a few stops from L'Enfant Plaza station which is the nearest to me. Not exactly sure which terminal American Airlines flies out of as some forms of transport have a couple of stops.
Sep 22, 2011 | 8:09 am
#19
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA - DCA/IAD
Programs: BA Gold, American Airlines, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 5,089
If Downtown DC is your final destination, most travelers make the mistake of choosing IAD or BWI over DCA only once. Or they never use DCA and never know what they are missing.
Arriving DCA and heading downtown on the Metro vs. arriving IAD/BWI and then getting into the city is like comparing a full body massage to a colonoscopy.
EDIT to add:
IAD to the White House is 27 miles via the shortest route (Dulles Access Road to 66E into the city)
DCA to the White House is 3 miles (driving).
You do the math.
Arriving DCA and heading downtown on the Metro vs. arriving IAD/BWI and then getting into the city is like comparing a full body massage to a colonoscopy.
EDIT to add:
IAD to the White House is 27 miles via the shortest route (Dulles Access Road to 66E into the city)
DCA to the White House is 3 miles (driving).
You do the math.
Last edited by geo1005; Sep 22, 2011 at 8:15 am
Sep 22, 2011 | 9:03 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 8,951
If Downtown DC is your final destination, most travelers make the mistake of choosing IAD or BWI over DCA only once. Or they never use DCA and never know what they are missing.
Arriving DCA and heading downtown on the Metro vs. arriving IAD/BWI and then getting into the city is like comparing a full body massage to a colonoscopy.
Arriving DCA and heading downtown on the Metro vs. arriving IAD/BWI and then getting into the city is like comparing a full body massage to a colonoscopy.
Sep 23, 2011 | 7:20 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
inbound lanes looked worse, but i returned by a different route.
Sep 23, 2011 | 11:05 am
#22
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,187
Colonscopies can prevent major health problems and the person performing the service is likely not a cop (a full cavity search is not exactly the same even if there are some similiarities).
I lived in the DC area for 9 years. I flew into DC when possible, though there were often two things keeping me from doing so: 1) Price; 2) Dearth of non-stops. There are now transcontinental non-stops into DCA that didn't exist before (e.g., Alaska Airlines from LAX), but prices can still be higher than into IAD and, even more so, BWI.
I lived in the DC area for 9 years. I flew into DC when possible, though there were often two things keeping me from doing so: 1) Price; 2) Dearth of non-stops. There are now transcontinental non-stops into DCA that didn't exist before (e.g., Alaska Airlines from LAX), but prices can still be higher than into IAD and, even more so, BWI.
Sep 23, 2011 | 11:15 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DCA ZWU
Programs: AGR WOH
Posts: 1,825
Put it this way: it is faster and easier and more scenic to walk from L'Enfant Plaza to gate at DCA than it is to take the 5A bus to IAD, or train+train+train+bus (or just train+B30 bus) to BWI.
Sep 24, 2011 | 8:45 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Del Ray, Alexandria, Virginia
Programs: KE Skypass, Morning Calm
Posts: 1,655