I admit that I didn't time it, but it seemed a lot longer than 5 minutes. I thought that the bus driver was going to AVIS in downtown Baltimore!

BWI is Baltimore's airport. Just 'cause they stick a "Washington" in the name don't make it so.

not too certain about distance, but BWI has better public transportation to/from downtown DC than IAD.

It takes less time to get to BWI than to IAD under most traffic conditions, unless one has excellent access to I66, or lives in NoVA.


I am no fan of BWI, by the way.

I've only been here a couple weeks, but with the two flights I've booked out of the area -LGA and FLL, DCA has been the cheapest. I think DCA is the easiest of the three to get to because it is on the Blue and Yellow Lines.

If you fly IAD, though I have never used this method, I think you take the 5A Metrobus from Rosslyn and no matter what time of day I make the stop in Rosslyn, there seems like there's always quite bit of people piled up at the stop there waiting on the bus to Dulles. I know those buses are big, but it seems like a hassle to stand there in the middle of a high-traffic area like Rosslyn with a bunch suitcases and stuff.

The handful of times I've gone from the Greenbelt Metro to BWI on the B30 Metrobus, it was relatively empty and there was a lot of room if you had bulky luggage.

I am also not a fan of BWI, but it is easier to get to from my hood than is IAD. Plus (and especially late at night) the people movers at IAD add a considerable amount of time to the time it takes to get home.

For the record, in order of "niceness" I choose DCA then IAD (I fly DL and that terminal is decent) and then BWI.

My vote is DCA for convenience into the city. Biggest knock for me is, when flying from IAH to DC area, DCA is sometimes $200-300 more than BWI. When cost is a factor, the $6 Marc Train into Union Station is mighty appealing. Either way, I would never see a reason to use IAD if flying in domestically.

it all depends on what you're needs are. if you're doing international, IAD is the place to go. even if you're doing transcons...you can do UA to DEN and then on to wherever you need to go. BWI should only be an options if you're in MD.

but for convenience of downtown DC and on the metro, DCA takes the cake.

I agree with the vote for DCA^ (excluding termainal a of course; eventually it will get renovated which I believe they have started) unless the price difference is too great to ignore from one of the other airports.... If going to BWI, I do the same as drnp and take the MARC

DCA Term A is a bit dated but the remainder of the airport is very open with great sun light and good choices for concessions for an airport of its size (although most before security). As other posters have indicated, very close to DC and easy to get in and out of. Very good for NYC/Wash DC travel with USAir and DL shuttles and American Eagle.

IAD from the time I used UA there seemed like in need of an overhaul. Remember one terminal/concourse being truly dreadful with nothing in the way of concessions. The people movers maybe a great idea in the late 1960s (pre TSA insanity) are now just another annoyance with respect to getting to your gate.

Agree that the car rental facilities at BWI seem like they are in Delaware. And the buses are sometimes like a NYC subway. It would drive me crazy when the bus was full, there were other buses waiting in the que, but the driver would keep on taking more and more passengers (like watching paxs fall and trip over luggage was his form of daily entertainment). The new WN terminal is very spacious and comfortable but lacks in decent, healthy places to eat (although most of the paxs at BWI seem not to have any concern about their caloric intake).

As others have suggested, it really depends on your needs. In both airports, there are good and bad terminals. It also depends on where you live and what method of transportation you intend to use.

DCA - Terminal A: oldest terminal in the region, although with interesting architectural features
Terminals B, C: modern, up-to-date terminals with good services.

Airlines - US Airways is in the good terminal but is a lousy airline. UA has a pleasant RCC (compared to IAD) but its check-in services are slow. Northwest is out of the old terminal. Virtually no international flights, few long distance flights.

Security: I find security less efficient at DCA. Despite the new terminal, it was not built with post-2001 security in mind. Also, presumably because of its proximity to DC and the Pentagon, they tend to go into overkill mode.

Transportation: Metro stop at airport. Parking limited. Close to city for relatively inexpensive taxis.



IAD - Terminal C, D: Built as a temporary building many years ago. One of the worst terminals in a large, western airport. Services don't match up to what you would expect at a large international airport. Need to use mobile lounges to access.

Terminal B: Newer modern terminal: Better ambience, services. Can walk to terminal under tarmac using slidewalks and escalators. Mobile lounge available as well for those who can't walk the long distance.

Terminal A: Never been there.

Main Building: Brilliant Saarinen design from an aesthetic standpoint. Not so functional from a 21st century pragmatic standpoint. They are building a new train system to reduce the need for mobile lounges.

Airlines: UA hub - but unfortunately, they do not use the newer, modern terminal. Major international airlines - BA, LH, AF, NH, etc. All use terminal B except BA (which has recently redone its lounge). Others will be better able to speak to domestic airlines.

Security: I personally find security easier at IAD (as an elite flyer). The lines look horrendous for non-elite economy passengers. TSA personnel (again, in my experience) seem to be a little less paranoid than in DCA.

Transportation: No metro. More parking than DCA. More convenient to many parts of Northern Virginia, Montgomery County, Maryland, than DCA. Public transportation from DC as described by JPoor007. Plentiful Taxis but expensive ($45.00+).

It is interesting that people think IAD security is easier than DCA; I have always found the opposite to be true. DCA has always been wham, bham thank you ma'am (or sir in my case) whereas IAD I have been sent on walking tours of the airport before getting to the TSA.

While I have rarely had trouble with IAD security, DCA security is always a breeze. As to you Terminal A haters, it's actually the best terminal at DCA because it's so small. Through security in 2-5 minutes every time, even at peak times. DCA should be the choice of anyone in DC proper. Even if you think Terminal A is old and falling apart (it is), that shouldn't really matter, because you won't be there for long.

I also don't hate BWI as much as many in this thread. When I lived in DC, it was my #2 choice. IAD is simply too inconvenient for people living and working in DC proper. Metro to East Falls Church and the Washington Flyer to IAD is the "best" option, but it's not a very good option. MARC to BWI from Union Station is a lot, lot better. BWI can have security issues, but nothing worse than I've seen at IAD.

Essentially, my decision-making process on the airports was to evaluate how much time I would have from when I could leave work and how long it would take to get the airport. DCA allows you to be certain that you can be there in 20-30 minutes from any point in DC and that the security lines will be short. BWI allows you to know for certain how long MARC will take to get there, but security can be a bit of a question mark. IAD is impossible to predict as traffic is never certain and security is never certain.

Dear CitrusMCO -- think you mean Metro to West Falls Church station and Dulles Flyer bus to IAD. Flyer round trip fare is $16 and one way is $9 if I remember correctly.

Obviously DCA is most convenient for DC residents making short hops, but it is not convenient at all for intercontinental flights as they require a change somewhere. IAD is likely best for NoVA residents and BWI is likely most convenient for MD residents.

I would not put much faith in MARC as its ontime percentage hovers around 50% I believe.

Someday we may have Metro out to IAD but I suspect it will be about 40 stops to downtown DC.

I used to live in Winchester, VA - so closer to IAD than DCA. If price and time were the same I'd opt for DCA over IAD. Security is much better at DCA.