DCA is a Mess! Metro closed until 13 Nov 2018 and Construction
Nov 9, 2018, 3:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM/AA Gold & 1MM/HH Gold/Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,924
DCA is a Mess! Metro closed until 13 Nov 2018 and Construction
Due to rainy weather and metro closing until next Tuesday DCA is an absolute mess! It's taking people hours to get in/out of the airport and reports of people crossing the GW Parkway with their luggage. Issues are expected to continue through the weekend with the metro closure.
I was booked on DCA-IAH at 1629 tomorrow and UA let me change to IAD-IAH at 1705. Whew!
I was booked on DCA-IAH at 1629 tomorrow and UA let me change to IAD-IAH at 1705. Whew!
Nov 9, 2018, 4:21 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 243
Due to rainy weather and metro closing until next Tuesday DCA is an absolute mess! It's taking people hours to get in/out of the airport and reports of people crossing the GW Parkway with their luggage. Issues are expected to continue through the weekend with the metro closure.
I was booked on DCA-IAH at 1629 tomorrow and UA let me change to IAD-IAH at 1705. Whew!
I was booked on DCA-IAH at 1629 tomorrow and UA let me change to IAD-IAH at 1705. Whew!
MWAA or whoever has totally dorked up the rideshare locations which exacerbates to traffic jams. They tried it upstairs and that didn’t work. So then they moved it back down but to the inner lane. There used to be two taxi stands, now it’s just a single one in the middle, but the rideshare is supposed to be on the outer portion of the inner lane. So the time spent waiting for your passenger to get out there, and load up, causes a jam.
A frickin mess. I love flying out of DCA because it’s only 15 minutes from home but it makes me happy that next week is my last week of work out of DCA till the end of Jan 2019.
And as a former TWA pilot, I appreciate your name. ^
Last edited by UALPilotDC; Nov 10, 2018 at 6:09 am
Nov 9, 2018, 5:36 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
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Posts: 9,658
Due to rainy weather and metro closing until next Tuesday DCA is an absolute mess! It's taking people hours to get in/out of the airport and reports of people crossing the GW Parkway with their luggage. Issues are expected to continue through the weekend with the metro closure.
I was booked on DCA-IAH at 1629 tomorrow and UA let me change to IAD-IAH at 1705. Whew!
I was booked on DCA-IAH at 1629 tomorrow and UA let me change to IAD-IAH at 1705. Whew!
Also you can walk across the bridge that goes to the south end of Crystal City.
Last edited by cova; Nov 9, 2018 at 5:57 pm
Nov 9, 2018, 6:35 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Washington D.C.
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Posts: 478
Not sure why people are crossing GW parkway. I am told there is walking path that goes over to the North end of Crystal City. Maybe people just don't know about that. Looking at Google maps - looks like it is called Mt Vernon Trail. It goes through the underpass (under GW parkway) at the main roadway entrance from the turn off to the airport.
Also you can walk across the bridge that goes to the south end of Crystal City.
Also you can walk across the bridge that goes to the south end of Crystal City.
Nov 9, 2018, 6:42 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: In between IAD and DCA
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DCA is a mess. I like the airport overall, and it is very convenient, but the UA gate areas are just not nice, and so few gates means a delay will lead to you sitting on the tarmac for a long time. I prefer IAD at this point honestly. More destinations, better prices usually for me, and lots of room to walk around before a flight (something I highly value).
Nov 9, 2018, 11:38 pm
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
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Not sure why people are crossing GW parkway. I am told there is walking path that goes over to the North end of Crystal City. Maybe people just don't know about that. Looking at Google maps - looks like it is called Mt Vernon Trail. It goes through the underpass (under GW parkway) at the main roadway entrance from the turn off to the airport.
Also you can walk across the bridge that goes to the south end of Crystal City.
Also you can walk across the bridge that goes to the south end of Crystal City.
Nov 10, 2018, 4:51 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
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I don't think anyone is able to cross the GW parkway to get to Crystal City, as there would be a fence alongside the train tracks between the parkway and Crystal City. I think the OP was probably referring to the lanes coming off of the GW Parkway to the airport. I've "made that crossing" several times. But one does have to be very cautious of the traffic, as the bridge (for the GW Parkway) blocks the view of the traffic heading that way.
Nov 10, 2018, 11:28 am
#11
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
Fortunately the weather is good today so the additional mess created by the rain is not an issue.
But, DCA is to be avoided at all costs until the 13th. Especially for people with more than carry-on, who are not able to walk distances and who are averse to standing in long lines and experiencing very long waits.
While I would choose IAD/BWI for this weekend, in general and even with the construction, DCA is far preferable. With no checked bags and Pre-Check, it is rare for me to have more than 10 minutes from being dropped off to the gate and even the construction traffic doesn't generally add more than 2-3 minutes to the ride. If there is a traffic backup headed to departures, there is always a cut off around the old historic terminal which dumps you into the arrivals lanes. Adds a minute for the elevator up to departures and you are all set.
But, DCA is to be avoided at all costs until the 13th. Especially for people with more than carry-on, who are not able to walk distances and who are averse to standing in long lines and experiencing very long waits.
While I would choose IAD/BWI for this weekend, in general and even with the construction, DCA is far preferable. With no checked bags and Pre-Check, it is rare for me to have more than 10 minutes from being dropped off to the gate and even the construction traffic doesn't generally add more than 2-3 minutes to the ride. If there is a traffic backup headed to departures, there is always a cut off around the old historic terminal which dumps you into the arrivals lanes. Adds a minute for the elevator up to departures and you are all set.