Why Are There No Direct MDW - IAD Flight?
Feb 8, 2018, 1:50 pm
#33
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Feb 8, 2018, 2:25 pm
#34
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It is 2 hours 48 minutes away. 
I might do that route on my days off and not taking I81 but Skyline Highway and Blue Ridge Parkway instead. I will have to score a fun car from the EE aisle.
I might do that route on my days off and not taking I81 but Skyline Highway and Blue Ridge Parkway instead. I will have to score a fun car from the EE aisle.
Feb 10, 2018, 9:33 am
#35
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 366
Lastly if you want to keep MDW and IAD constant, consider DL that has MDW-DTW-IAD connection. Personally, I would take a nonstop though from either ORD or MDW, to one of the three DC area airports.
Last edited by beyondhere; Feb 10, 2018 at 9:45 am
Feb 16, 2018, 8:17 am
#36
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Although I have never done this around BWI, consider Uber or Lyft to a local Enterprise around BWI. The offsite car rental rates might be significantly less to justify the Lyft expense. I've done this around SFO and PIT. The issue though is the hours of operation are not 24 hours like an airport location, and agents at local branches tend to try to fault the customer for car scratches, so be very observant to inspect existing scratches, and the gas is not guaranteed to be full, but typically is atleast 1/2-3/4 full.
Lastly if you want to keep MDW and IAD constant, consider DL that has MDW-DTW-IAD connection. Personally, I would take a nonstop though from either ORD or MDW, to one of the three DC area airports.
Lastly if you want to keep MDW and IAD constant, consider DL that has MDW-DTW-IAD connection. Personally, I would take a nonstop though from either ORD or MDW, to one of the three DC area airports.
I looked into the DL flight, but the times are not convenient, and DL tries to route me through ATL anyways.
Feb 16, 2018, 12:53 pm
#37
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Depending on your schedule you also might want to keep a rental car over a weekend. I've done that a few times when I knew I would be back the next week. It's often cheaper to park it while you're home than make two separate rentals.
Feb 16, 2018, 1:12 pm
#38
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: DCA/IAD
Posts: 834
If Midway is your more convenient Chicago airport, then WN to DCA is going to be by far your best bet. Worst case - your office is right by IAD - DCA is really only 45 minutes or so worse than IAD, so no connecting flight is ever going to be worth your time.
Some would argue that DCA isn't even 45 minutes worse, given that it's much easier to rent a car and easier to get in, out, and through the airport in general. I spent years commuting in/out of DCA, sometimes renting a car, sometimes using taxis or Metro, and even a year or so parking my own car. It was always easier than IAD.
Some would argue that DCA isn't even 45 minutes worse, given that it's much easier to rent a car and easier to get in, out, and through the airport in general. I spent years commuting in/out of DCA, sometimes renting a car, sometimes using taxis or Metro, and even a year or so parking my own car. It was always easier than IAD.
Whenever I've flown in there on UA, I've had to use the landcrawlers. I assume UA also has C gates that could use the train (?)...if so, and if the Chicago flights use those gates, that would knock some time off of the trip.
Every time I fly into IAD, I think maybe the landcrawlers have been retired and there's a train or walkways for all terminals. But nope, they're still there...
Every time I fly into IAD, I think maybe the landcrawlers have been retired and there's a train or walkways for all terminals. But nope, they're still there...
+1 on BWI as an option. While the distance from BWI is longer, traffic is often much worse on I-66 from IAD and particularly DCA. It will still take longer from BWI but not as much as it may seem. And the drive is much more pleasant. The downside is that the remote consolidated rental car facility at BWI is major PITA.
Feb 22, 2018, 7:56 am
#39
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As far as the actual drive, how much longer it takes from DCA vs IAD to Winchester largely depends on the time of day. During rush hours, IAD will have more of an advantage than other times of the day.
At IAD you'll arrive at the C or D terminal on UA. If you arrive at C you take the Aerotrain to the main terminal which is where baggage claim is located. The Aerotrain is not any faster than the mobile lounge, as they built the station at the C terminal where the future C/D replacement terminal is planned (replacement terminal was postponed indefinitely after 9/11) so you have to walk through a tunnel from the C terminal to get there. If you arrive at D you take the mobile lounge to the main terminal. After picking up your checked bag you'll take the rental car shuttle.
From IAD, the quickest route will be 267 west (Dulles Greenway which is a toll road) to Leesburg, and then 7 west to Winchester. If you want to avoid the toll taking 28 north to 7 west is still usually faster than 66. From DCA, note that I-66 westbound inside the beltway (I-495) is a toll road between 3-7p on weekdays. Tolls vary depending on demand, and at their highest have been over $40. In the eastbound direction it is a toll road between 5:30a-9:30a on weekdays. On the plus side traffic generally flows well during those hours.
At IAD you'll arrive at the C or D terminal on UA. If you arrive at C you take the Aerotrain to the main terminal which is where baggage claim is located. The Aerotrain is not any faster than the mobile lounge, as they built the station at the C terminal where the future C/D replacement terminal is planned (replacement terminal was postponed indefinitely after 9/11) so you have to walk through a tunnel from the C terminal to get there. If you arrive at D you take the mobile lounge to the main terminal. After picking up your checked bag you'll take the rental car shuttle.
From IAD, the quickest route will be 267 west (Dulles Greenway which is a toll road) to Leesburg, and then 7 west to Winchester. If you want to avoid the toll taking 28 north to 7 west is still usually faster than 66. From DCA, note that I-66 westbound inside the beltway (I-495) is a toll road between 3-7p on weekdays. Tolls vary depending on demand, and at their highest have been over $40. In the eastbound direction it is a toll road between 5:30a-9:30a on weekdays. On the plus side traffic generally flows well during those hours.
I took I66 to 267 to 7 when I got here on Sunday.