IAD D Concourse architecture archeology
 

United's D Concourse in IAD has a few "fancy" doors that are abandoned... One of them has a sign with opening hours and "proper dress required" so obviously at one point it was open to the public ... They also don't look like typical UA/CO anything I've seen before.

Anyone know the story/history of these?
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b3cd881902.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...30e8fef30b.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f449c26751.jpg

Pretty sure the double doors were a UA club at some juncture. The others maybe First Class Lounge, and beyond that not sure.

I've actually always wondered the same about these doors.

I know AA has (had?) an unmarked lounge for Members of Congress in DCA. I wonder if this might be something similar?

-FlyerBeek

Concourse D used to be used by American, Delta, BA, Iberia, LH and other international carriers before they all moved to the “new” Concourse B by between 1998 and 2008 (when Concourse B went through 2 separate extension projects).

There were airline lounges (non-UA) scattered in the rooms in the Concourse D area. The only RCC-United Club in D is still there next to D8.

I believe one of the doors shown in the photo above was the entrance to the Admiral Club, which I visited before an Iberia flight to Madrid.

Interesting... That certainly explains some of the D concourse's odd feelings. Wonder why none of them have been recaptured as retail/restaurant space in the 10-20 years that have passed?

One of the arts of doors not pictures but in the same vibe has a bunch of paper signs on it implying that training rooms lie beyond but these have been oddly (visually) quiet every time I've walked by. Seems like a conspicuous waste of space

That stainless-sheathed door looks like the 1990s Admirals Club scheme. With the black tiles. There was an IAD Admirals Club until just a few years ago, but I remember it being in a different terminal, and up a small staircase (maybe a more recent incarnation).

Looking at some old maps, prior to the opening of A/B, the D concourse had (at various times), an Admirals Club, British Airways Club, Continental Presidents Club (late 80s), TWA Ambassadors Club (90s) and, of course, a Red Carpet Club. The Ambassadors Club looks to be in the "low", odd side of D (around D5). BA by D20. AA by D25. Based on those "ballpark" locations, maybe we can determine where each of those doors leads?

The Admirals Club in B concourse was upstairs. I remember there was gray/black marble entrance typical of ACs of the early-aughts.

I think KLM once had a Crown Club at D, too.

One more question that I didn't take a picture of: What's up with the giant stainless circle/hole in the ground around D15 where there's a elegant (for an airport) staircase just begging you to go downstairs that perpetually has a "NOTHING TO SEE DOWN THERE" sign in front of the stairs?

The pictures in my post are roughly in reverse numerical order from where I departed (D32) to the D-concourse UC with the first picture being at the ramp at the end of D where the last gates on the pier go uphill -- D25 sounds about right for that one so it sounds like the posters calling it an Admirals Club were spot on there.

Unfortunately I wasn't paying enough attention as I did the club-to-gate march but I'd buy the 2nd one (single door with slatted window) as being BA possibly? So what about the blue-double-doors-with pillars? FWIW it was on the same side of the concourse as the current UC and I want to say it was after D15 but don't quote me there.

And why hasn't UA or MWAA/IAD put those spaces to a money-making use? To be honest I'm curious how much of the lounges remain intact beyond :)

At one time, that area was the crew room and I think employee cafeteria. Not sure if that is still true.

Never noticed any of these, though IAD connections are not often for me

Lipsticks on a pig I say

Behind the doors may have been repurposed with build outs from adjacent areas or just work/storage areas.

Are those the stairs leading down to the “Domicile“?

Pretty much everyone and their mother had a lounge on C/D at one point.

My memory is a little rusty, but I recall in 2001 BA/AA/TW all had lounges on D, in addition to UA. By that time, I think everyone had moved to B when it opened except for AC/UA/BA/AA/LH/TW/OS. I recall a couple of other airlines who UA was partnered with using D at the time...I think BWIA and Spanair but they didn't have lounges. I also don't recall KLM haven't their own lounge at Dulles. LH never had their own lounge on C/D-before they moved to B I remember their lounge being in the Main Terminal building.

When B opened, I think ANA, VS (still there), AF (still there), and NW opened lounges on the concourse. Not sure what happened to the NW or ANA lounge space on B, or if they ever had one on C/D prior to moving to B. JAL also had a Sakura Lounge at one point but I don't know if it was ever on C/D or if it was in the Main Terminal.

The skinny black door with the wood-paneled windows reminds me of how Northwest used to style their World Clubs, so maybe that was their old lounge before they moved to B. The black tile is reminiscent of the Admirals Lounge on B that closed a few years ago (still intact with the AA logo just covered up with a sticker) so I am guessing that was an AA lounge.

Keep in mind that the concourses went through a bit of confusing renaming over the years. The present C/D was always referred to as C/D. For a while they were in fact two separate buildings connected by a covered walkway. I think later they added gates onto the walkway. The present Z gate area used to have two separate piers (the "South Concourse") and for a while they were called the M gates before being called the A gates.

The present A concourse opened in the 1990s under the name Concourse B. Once the regional wing was added in 2000/2001, it was called Concourse A, and the present Z gates were renamed to Concourse T, like ATL. Once MWAA began to expand Concourse B they renamed the eastern portion of the concourse (closest to the regional gates) to Concourse A, and the western was named Concourse B. I believe MWAA still was shuttling select flights directly to the plane using plane-mates up until that time period...I think the gates were called Concourse E which meant a hardstand gate IIRC.

Presidential Airways Oval Office!
 

Back.in 1985, shortly after the "temporary" C/D were built came DC's own upstart by airline vets Hap Pareti and Donald Burr, Presidential Airways, which its home at IAD. Those doors were the entry to the "Oval Office," Presidential's VIP club. Those were the days!