i kinda like where UA is now, only because i'm used to it. but if they moved, whatever. still convenient, i would just have to remember to take the south exit of the metro, not the north haha

i just want an LAX/SFO-DCA flight. not happening soon, but i can wish.

It's either two or three. I think it's three but they only use the third gate when the DEN flight is in. Otherwise they can handle the old Business1 flights to ORD off just two gates. I think with the ability to juggle across five destinations (CLE (light service), DEN (once daily), EWR, IAH, and ORD) they could get away with the existing CO gates + the DL/AS gate.

I think it depends greatly on metro versus cab. I don't think there's much difference at all if you cab to the airport or get dropped off. The physical distance to the CO gates from the nearest door is slightly longer but it's offset by the moving walkway. If you're arriving via metro, I can see the additional walk adding (marginally) to your total time from metro to gate.

I don't think they will, especially as they re-balance across hubs (i.e. further reduce CLE flying).

But, if they do, it might be a great opportunity to work with the MWAA to build out to the historical terminal gates (yes, this is really what I want in life).

I think these may be in jeopardy. Remember with the DCA perimeter rule, in the UA network, ORD was the only airport they could reach from DCA (the single DCA-DEN is a perimeter exception). This essentially necessitated that all DCA slots be used to ORD and ORD only (single DCA-DEN exception aside)

With the combined network, UA will be able to serve DCA-EWR/CLE/IAH/ORD before perimeter exceptions, possibly reducing demand for the DCA-ORD frequencies.



Doesn't AS still fly LAX-DCA?

I would imagine that we'll see a reduction in the mid-day frequencies for exactly the reason you state.

Based on very casual observation of what people I know personally do for work, I would hypothesize that there's enough O&D traffic to keep the first three or four (359 lands in ORD at 9:30 Central, too late for a full work day but early enough for a day of meetings) frequencies and everything from 741 onward in the evening as is.

Plus I'll wager that 681 stays on the schedule since it's the "direct" DCA-NRT.

^^ Yes, the old terminal is historic, but it isn't as convenient and accessible as the B terminal. Big for UA if that is the decision.

yes AS still flies that route. they have 2 flights a day to SEA and one to LAX

every flight i have been on between DCA and ORD has been full the past year - and i do that route almost every week. i think the demand is there to keep it as an hourly flight...although there is going to be cuts to capacity, i just dont see this route being one that is cut...

OH MY GOD. Typical Jeff Smisek behavior always choose PMCO in 110% of the cases. This has got to be some kind of conspiracy.

Where do you get the sense most of the traffic is going? Upper midwest?

UA moving over to CO is what I have speculated for sometime here.

1. UA moves over to CO - and UA/CO take back gate 14 - which DL took from CO.

2. DL and US are swapping gates. US takes the UA gates at DCA next to other US gates. Then UA takes the DL gate at DCA.

3. The CO PC has some room to expand - the RCC does not. US could take over the RCC for a second smaller club in that wing.

4. CO can always put its RJs and Q400s at walk out gates in front of the historic terminal. Maybe at some point - someone will decide to work with the airport to reopen the gate places in the historic terminal. Terminal A was supposed to be torn down and the gates run along the old terminal building.

5. My view - it would make sense for UA/CO to reopen the check in counters in the historic terminal building (once the premier gates for EA).

The only "heard" I heard was all options being looked at - and the CO PC could be expanded some. I believe the "heard" comes from discussions at the DCA PC - the friendliest in the network - where many of us are greeted by name when we arrive.

The CO section of Terminal B has moving sidewalks - none of the other wings do.

Wouldn't it be more functional to have AA move over to CO's gates. And then have CO (and AC) move over to where UA is now? That way all Star carriers at DCA would be connected to each other.

You still wouldn't have full integration because US is mostly in C. There's a bus but it's really faster given the short security lines at DCA to walk it.

Plus, DCA isn't really a connection airport. It's an origination or destination airport. Given that, there's not a real reason to have all of *A together.

They're swapping gates at LGA, but any mention of DCA gates has been conspicuously absent from the press releases regarding the slot swap. As such, it appears that MWAA, rather than the airlines, assign(s) gates.

DCA's historic terminal building is really cool, particularly that highly dignified lobby. Was that zig-zag corridor in A with the fake window displays (and the AA credit union, etc.) previously gate space?

Agreed. IAD is a pit.

Yes, the historic terminal used to be the prime gates for EA. Once there was an open air observation deck as well. The space between the historic building and the current Term A - used to have gates along the way plus the AA terminal wing that was torn down. The shuttles EA and DL used to be in off the walkway - you took an escalator down - then you could jump between the two if needed. AA had several gates in its own wing.

Problem - no one wants to pay the high rates to have gates at the historic building - they would be stuck with all the expenses for that building - and now no plans to tear down Term A as planned. The gate numbering scheme for the new Term B/C assumed that A was gone and the gate numbers ran along the terminal building.

i am not sure - when connecting gate information is read on board (< 50% of the time) there are a lot of express flights mentioned. but maybe it is people heading west who just dont want to go to IAD. DCA is a great airport - like others have said, i can leave my house one hour before departure and be at the gate at boarding time...