A Brief Overview of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Virginia’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) covers an area of 13000 acres. A huge amount of traffic is made up of international passengers. Dulles Airport is the hub of United Airlines.

The airport operates a nonstop flight to about 150 destinations. Washington Dulles Airport is the gateway to the US capital.

Also, it is the preferred airport for thousands of International passengers that use it daily.

By the end of this article, you shall be able to move through the airport with ease. Read on to familiarize yourself with the services, amenities, and everything else at the airport has to offer.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Terminal

The terminal started out as a two-story building with an area of 500,000 sq ft, 600 feet long and 200 feet wide.

Today the length of the airport is 1,240 feet and has an area of 1.1 million sq ft.

1) International Arrivals Building:

Operational since 1991, the International Arrivals facility has Federal Customs and Border Protection, Agriculture and Immigration Service.

Seven years later in 1998, the federal government moved to a secured facility in Concourse C. This is used by international passengers to connect to other domestic flights.

2) A Concourse:

All airlines except United Airlines operate from these concourses. Concourse A comprises of 47 gates.

If you make an international flight ticket booking, you will use concourse A to gain access to the airport.

Many airlines such as Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, and Air France operate lounges in concourse A. Also, between the gates A6-14, you will find Concourse A’s AeroTrain station.

3) B Concourse:

This concourse makes up the western half of the building, and consists of 28 gates. This is also the first permanent elevated midfield concourses.

There is also an AeroTrain station located between gates B51-62. Further, there is an underground walkway to connect the concourse to the main terminal building.

Some of the international flights operate from this concourse. Apart from this all domestic flights and Canada flights use concourse B.

Airlines like British Airways, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines operate lounges here.

4) C and D Concourse:

Concourse C/D was built in 1985, as an interim facility. It will be replaced by a permanent facility. Only United Airlines use these concourses. Both the concourses have 22 gates each.

The concourses are designed in a way that all the odd-numbered gates lie to the north of the building and even-numbered gates on the south.

If you look at the terminal building, you will observe that concourse C makes the eastern half of the facility, and concourse D comprises of the western half.

C and D concourses underwent a facelift. This included light fixture upgrades, new ceiling grids and tiles, and so on. Further, at the ground level of the concourse C, there is a federal inspection station.

All the passengers with United Airlines international flight ticket that originate elsewhere, and have a US preclearance may deplane directly using the aerobridge at Concourse C.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Security Checkpoints

1) TSA Checkpoints:

Washington Dulles Airport has three TSA checkpoints. You can access each of these from the Departures – Ticketing/Check-in level.

The East security checkpoint operates from 4.30 am to 9.45 pm. On the other hand, West Checkpoint is operational from 3.45 am to 9 pm.

Finally, the TSA PreCheck works from 4.30 am to 10 pm. Also note that after 10 pm, there are after-hours screening lanes next to the TSA PreCheck.

2) CLEAR Program:

When you become a member of this program you can skip the document check at the airport’s security checkpoints. You can enroll yourself by using CLEAR kiosks located in the terminal building.

One of them is located to the west of the TSA PreCheck line in the Departures – Ticketing/Check-in level. The other one is located outside the East security checkpoint.

If you are already a member, you can use the CLEAR kiosks at the lower-level East security checkpoint, the entrance of the TSA PreCheck at the Terminal’s ticketing level.

All passengers with international flight booking are screened by US Customs and Border Protection upon arrival at the Washington International Airport.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Services and Amenities

1) AeroTrain:

This is the airport train system that transports passengers between terminals. The automated trains have been serving passengers since 2010.

Trains commute between the Terminal and midfield gates for international and domestic flights.Passengers arriving on international air flights cannot use the AeroTrain as they have to proceed for the US custom clearance.

Also, you can commute between stations within two minutes. The trains travel at speeds up to 42 miles an hour. The AeroTrain also features underground transit.

2) Charging Stations:

Charging stations are a life-saver. Therefore, at the Dulles Airport, you will find such stations across each concourse and in many gate areas inside the terminal building.

Moreover, almost every restaurant and dining outlet inside the airport has charging stations. 

What is even great is that there are Electric Vehicle charging facilities you can use for free.

3) Currency Exchange:

Washington Airport has numerous international currency exchange locations. You can make the exchange at the Terminal’s Departures – Ticketing level. Then there is another one at Concourses A/B near Gate A32.

Also, you can find one at Concourse C, near Gate C8, and C12. Even Concourse D, Gate D16 has one. Also, there is one at the International Arrivals Building near the exit.

4) Free Internet:

You can use Wi-Fi for free in the terminal building and across the concourses. Find the complimentary Wi-Fi “FlyDulles.” After you select the same, you will come to a splash screen.

Here, enter your Email address and Zip/Postal Code. Then, review and accept the terms and conditions, and click ‘connect.’

5) Chapel:

For the religious passengers, you can use the interfaith Chapel which is open round the clock.

Different religions such as Jews, Muslims, and Christians can participate in prayers.

6) Kid’s Play Area:

Dulles Airport partnered with NASA to come up with a kid’s play area. Find the amazing facility at Concourse B near Gate B70.

From interactive games to slides and every exciting game in between will keep children engaged. Your kids will not only have a good time but also learn. 

This was just a brief overview of the Washington Dulles International Airport. There are a plethora of other services and facilities at the airport.

For instance, you can avail of disability services, shopping and dining options, international passenger meeting areas, and others.

Explore them all next time you book air line flight tickets to Washington.