As of 2024, it is the24th-busiest airport in the United States,[14] with 27.3 million enplanements.[15] It had more than 20 million passenger enplanements every year from 2004 to 2019. An average of 60,000 passengers pass through Dulles daily to and from more than 139 destinations around the world.[16][17][18] Dulles has the most international passenger traffic of any airport in theMid-Atlantic outside theNew York metropolitan area, including approximately 90% of the international passenger traffic in the Baltimore–Washington region.[19]
BeforeWorld War II,Hoover Field was the main commercial airport serving Washington, on the site now occupied bythe Pentagon and its parking lots. It was replaced byWashington National Airport in 1941, a short distance southeast. After the war, in 1948, theCivil Aeronautics Administration began to consider sites for a second major airport to serve the nation's capital.[20]Congress passed the Washington Airport Act in 1950 to provide funding for a new airport in the region.[21] The initial CAA proposal in 1951 called for the airport to be built inFairfax County near what is nowBurke Lake Park, but protests from residents, as well as the rapid expansion of Washington's suburbs during the time, led to reconsideration of this plan.[22] One competing plan called for the airport to be built in the Pender area of Fairfax County, while another called for the conversion ofAndrews Air Force Base inPrince George's County,Maryland, into a commercial airport.[20]
The current site was selected by President Eisenhower in 1958;[22] the Dulles name was chosen by Eisenhower's aviation advisorPete Quesada, who later served as the first head of theFederal Aviation Administration. As a result of the site selection, the unincorporated, largely African-American community ofWillard, which once stood in the airport's current footprint, was demolished, and 87 property owners had their holdings condemned.[20]
Dulles was also built over a lesser-known airport named Blue Ridge Airport, chartered in 1938 by the U.S. The airport was Loudoun County's first official airport, consisting of two grass intersecting runways in the shape of an "X". The location of the former Blue Ridge Airport sits where the Dulles Air Freight complex and Washington Dulles Airport Marriott now sit today.[23][better source needed]
Dulles Airport in April 1970, showing the main terminal's original size
The civil engineering firmAmmann and Whitney was named lead contractor. The airport was dedicated by PresidentJohn F. Kennedy and Eisenhower on November 17,1962.[7][8][24] As originally opened, the airport had three long runways (current day runways 1C/19C, 1R/19L, and 12/30) and one shorter one (where current taxiway Q is located). Its original name, Dulles International Airport, was changed in 1984 to Washington Dulles International Airport.[25]
Themain terminal was designed in 1958 by famed Finnish-American architectEero Saarinen, and it is highly regarded for its graceful beauty, suggestive of flight. The terminal was built without any concourses and gates as all aircraft were parked at remote sites. Passengers were bussed to their aircraft by way of mobile lounges that raised up to the aircraft level; some are still in use today. The first midfield terminal that included gates and jetbridges was constructed in 1985 whenNew York Air and other airlines began hub operations at Dulles.[citation needed] In the 1990s, the main terminal at Dulles was reconfigured to allow more space between the front of the building and the ticket counters. Additions at both ends of the main terminal more than doubled the structure's length. The original terminal atTaiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Taiwan, was modeled after the Saarinen terminal at Dulles.[26][27]
The design included a landscaped man-made lake to collect rainwater, a low-rise hotel, and a row of office buildings along the north side of the main parking lot. The design also included a two-level road in front of the terminal to separate arrival and departure traffic and a federally ownedlimited access highway connecting the terminal to the Capital Beltway (I-495) about 17 miles (27 km) to the east; the highway system eventually grew to include a parallel toll road to handle commuter traffic and an extension to connect toI-66. The access road had a wide median strip to allow the construction of a passenger rail line, which opened asan extension of the Washington Metro's Silver Line on November 15, 2022.[28]
By 1985 the original design, featuringmobile lounges to meet each plane, was no longer well-suited to Dulles's role as a hub airport. Instead, midfield concourses were constructed to allow passengers to walk between connecting flights without visiting the main terminal. Mobile lounges were still used for international flights and to transport passengers between the midfield concourses and the main terminal; Concourse C/D was the first to be built, followed by Concourse A/B. A tunnel (consisting of a passenger walkway and moving sidewalks) that links the main terminal and Concourse B was opened in 2004.[29] TheMetropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) began a renovation program for the airport including a new security mezzanine with more room for lines.[30]
A new train system, dubbedAeroTrain and developed byMitsubishi, began in 2010 to transport passengers between the concourses and the main terminal.[31] The system, which uses rubber tires and travels along a fixed underground guideway,[31] is similar to the people mover systems atSingapore Changi Airport,[31]Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, andDenver International Airport. The train is intended to replace the mobile lounges, which many passengers found crowded and inconvenient. The initial phase includes the main terminal station, a permanent Concourse A station, a permanent Concourse B station, a permanent midfield concourse station (with access to the current temporary C concourse via a tunnel with moving walkways), and a maintenance facility.[31] Mobile lounges continue to serve Concourse D from both the main terminal and Concourse A. Even after AeroTrain is built out and the replacement Concourses C and D are built, the mobile lounges and plane mates will still continue to be used, to transport international arriving passengers to the International Arrivals Building, as well as transport passengers to aircraft parked on hardstands without direct access to jet bridges. Dulles has stated that the wait time for a train does not exceed four minutes, compared to the average 15-minute wait and travel time for mobile lounges.[citation needed]
Under the development plan, future phases would see the addition of several new midfield concourses and a new south terminal.[32] A fourth runway (parallel to the existing runways 1 and 19 L&R) opened in 2008,[33] and development plans include a fifth runway to parallel the existing runway 12–30.[34] If this runway is built, the current runway will be re-designated as 12L-30R while the new runway will be designated 12R-30L. An expansion of the B concourse, used by many low-cost airlines as well as international arrivals, has been completed, and the building housing Concourses C and D will eventually be knocked down to make room for a more ergonomic building. Because Concourses C and D are temporary concourses, the only way to get to those concourses is via moving walkway from the Concourse C station, which is built in the location of the future gates and Concourse D by mobile lounge from the main terminal.[35][36]
The interior of the main terminal, showing the escalators leading to baggage claim and arrivals
In the short term,United Airlines has constructed a 20,000 square foot (1,900 m2) buildout on Concourse C between gate C18 and the AeroTrain entrance for use as a Polaris Lounge for international passengers.[37] Further expansion plans include a new three-story 550,000 square foot (51,000 m2) south concourse building above the AeroTrain station for Concourse C,[36] to replace Concourse A regional gates built in 1999.[38]
Decades-old rules set by Congress that limit the number of takeoffs and landings, as well as distance of routes, at Reagan Airport were intended in part to keep more flights at Dulles. Those rules have been weakened by Congress over the years, however, causing Dulles to lose 200,000 passengers to Reagan between 2011 and 2013.[14]
In 2023, construction started on a 100 MW solar power facility, battery and bus charging equipment.[39] It would include the largest airport-based solar and battery development in the U.S. as part of an agreement with Dominion Energy. The solar panels would cover more than 835 acres (338 ha) on land, equivalent to the consumption of more than 37,000 Northern Virginia homes during peak production.[40]
Dulles was initially considered awhite elephant, being far out of town with few flights;[43] in 1965, Dulles averaged 89 airline operations a day whileNational Airport (now Reagan) averaged 600 despite not allowing jets.[43] Airport operations grew along with Virginia suburbs and theDulles Technology Corridor; perimeter and slot restrictions at National forced long-distance flights to use Dulles. In 1969, Dulles had 2.01 million passengers while National had 9.9 million.[44]
On December 26, 1973, President Richard Nixon flew from Dulles to Los Angeles on board a United Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-10 commercial flight instead of on Air Force One. This was due to a nationwide fuel shortage caused at the time by theArab oil embargo.[47] Less than two years later, on May 24, 1976, supersonic flights between the U.S. and Europe began with the arrival of aBritish AirwaysConcorde from London–Heathrow and anAir France Concorde fromParis–Charles De Gaulle; both planes were lined nose-to-nose at Dulles for photos.[48][49][50]
On June 1, 1985,New York Air began a small hub operation at Dulles, with 35 daily flights to eight cities in Florida and the northeastern United States.[52]Colgan Airways became a feeder carrier for New York Air with additional service to smaller cities known as New York Air Connection. In 1987, the airline merged intoContinental Airlines, which maintained the hub operation until 1989.[52] On October 10, 1985,Presidential Airways opened its hub at the airport, and it soon began a series of code-shares – first withPan Am from mid-1986 through early 1988, then asContinental Express on behalf ofContinental Airlines between mid-1987 and mid-1988, and finally asUnited Express, on behalf ofUnited Airlines, from mid 1988 until Presidential ceased operations on December 5, 1989.[53]
On May 1, 1986,United Airlines began service on 16 new domestic routes creating a hub status at Dulles. Many more domestic routes and new overseas routes would later be added.Air Wisconsin and Presidential Airways soon became feeder carriers for United operating asUnited Express.[54]
In 1990, aUnited States Senate joint resolution to change Dulles International Airport's name toWashington Eisenhower International Airport was proposed bySenator Bob Dole, but the bill did not pass.[55]
When theSR-71 was retired by the military in 1990, one was flown from its birthplace at United States Air ForcePlant 42 inPalmdale, California, to Dulles, setting a coast-to-coast speed record at an average 2,124 mph (3,418 km/h); the trip took 64 minutes.[56] The aircraft was placed in a storage building, and is now displayed at the Smithsonian's adjacentUdvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum.[56]
In 1995, the first flight of theBoeing 777-200 in commercial service landed at Dulles; the flight was operated byUnited Airlines on its transatlantic London Heathrow – Washington Dulles route.[57]
The 2004 launch oflow-cost carrierIndependence Air propelled IAD from being the 24th-busiest airport in the United States to fourth, and one of the top 30busiest in the world. Independence Air ceased operations in January 2006, and its space in Concourse A was taken five months later byUnited Express.[58] Also taking place in 2006 was the introduction of service bySouthwest Airlines at IAD.[59]
Significant growth required the airport to halt the operations of its original control tower in 2007 for a taller control tower located away from the main terminal. The original tower still exists, though it is no longer used to control the airport's traffic.[59] That year, 24.7 million passengers passed through the airport.[59]
Dulles' old air traffic control tower, which halted operations in 2007
The current air traffic control tower dwarfs the original one
On November 20, 2008, a third parallel north–south runway – Runway 1L/19R – opened on the west side of the airfield; the original 1L/19R was re-designated 1C/19C. It was the first new runway to be built at Dulles since the airport's construction.[41]
In the early 2010s, increased domestic travel from Reagan National Airport eroded some of Dulles's domestic routes.[14] Dulles overtook Reagan in total enplanements in 2019.[63]
In 2019, four new major international routes were added.Alitalia began non-stop service utilizing anAirbus A330 toRome-Fiumicino, operating five times weekly during the peak summer season, reducing to three times weekly during the winter season.[70]EgyptAir operates a Boeing 787–9 with nonstop service toCairo three times a week year-round.[71]TAP Air Portugal flies five times weekly with nonstop service toLisbon on board the Airbus A321LR, A330-900 and sometimes the A330-200. By that May, United began non-stop service toTel-Aviv, initially utilizing a Boeing 777-200ER on a thrice-weekly schedule.
In 2020, LOT Polish, Iberia and Swiss were all scheduled to begin service to Dulles, but these were postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. LOT Polish were scheduled to provideBoeing 787 service from Warsaw, Iberia to provideAirbus A330-300 service from Madrid, and Swiss to provide Airbus A330-300 service from Zürich. So far only the Iberia and the Swiss routes have been implemented.[citation needed]
In 2021, regional airlineSouthern Airways Express moved their East Coast hub from BWI to Dulles.[72] The airline announced it would operate flights between Dulles and small airports in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, some of them onEssential Air Service contracts.[72]
In 2024, IAD was ranked the 11th best airport in the world byAirHelp, a passenger rights tech company assisting passengers with flight disruptions. Data was compiled for 239 of the world's busiest airports in 69 countries. Data was compiled from May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. Criteria was based on on-time performance, customer opinion, and food and shops. Dulles' ranking was an overall 8.22 out of 10.[73]
Beginning in 2024, an effort by Congress has been made to rename the airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport, in honor of PresidentDonald J. Trump.[74][75] In April 2024, a bill was proposed in theUnited States House of Representatives to rename the airport after Trump, but did not pass.[76][77] A new bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in January 2025, renewing the proposal to rename Dulles after Trump; this bill was announced a few days after a similar state bill was proposed in Tennessee, to renameNashville International Airport after Trump.[74][75][78][79]
As of February 2025, more than 50 airlines serve the airport.[80] The majority of the market share is United and United Express while other airlines focus on international routes or domestic routes not served by United. Airbus A380 service to Dulles during the current summer season puts the airport in 3rd place for A380 flights in the US, afterNew York–JFK andLos Angeles–LAX.[81]British Airways andLufthansa fly the superjumbo to Dulles on a daily schedule from May to October, whileEmirates flies the A380 year round. Additionally, Dulles is looking to grow its international destinations in response to the regained demand for Southeast Asian service after the pandemic caused numbers to falter significantly. This growth would target cities likeMumbai,Taipei andShanghai, as well as resume service toHong Kong.[82]
On March 11, 2025,Air China began serving IAD with the Boeing 747-8i from Beijing.[83] Air China up until then served the airport twice weekly with the Boeing 777-300ER. This added a second Air China 747 flight to the US after JFK, which had been the only airport in the United States to receive Air China 747 service.[84]
Dulles originally usedDIA – the initials of Dulles International Airport – as its airport code.[85] When handwritten, DIA was often misread as DCA – the code for Washington National Airport. This prompted officials to change Dulles Airport's code toIAD – standing for "International Airport Dulles."[85]
The airport's terminal complex consists of theMain Terminal (which includes four aircraft gates, known as the "Z" Gates), and two parallel midfield terminal buildings: Concourses A/B and Concourses C/D. The entire terminal complex has a total of 139gates – 123 of which havejetways and 16 of which are hardstand locations[86] from which passengers can board or disembark using the airport's plane mate vehicles.[41]
Conceived in early planning sessions in 1959, Dulles is one of a few remaining airports to utilizemobile lounges (also known as "plane mates" or "people movers"), now only used for transport to the International Arrivals Building as well as transport for Concourse D. They have all been given names based on the postal abbreviations of 50 states, e.g., VA, MD, AK.[87]
TheMetropolitan Washington Airports Authority has partially phased out the mobile lounge system for inter-terminal passenger movements with theAeroTrain, an undergroundpeople mover that currently operates to all of the concourses except concourse D, with a passenger tunnel remaining to concourses A and B. However, the Aerotrain to concourse C stops at a terminal north of the actual concourse, leaving a significant walk from the terminal to concourse after disembarking. Plane mates remain in use to disembark international passengers and carry them to the International Arrivals Building, as well as to transport passengers to and from aircraft on the hard stands that are called H gates (i.e., those parked remotely on the apron without access to jet bridges).[88][89]
The Main Terminal's ceiling is suspended in a catenary curve above the check-in area
Dulles's main terminal houses ticketing on the upper level, baggage claim andU.S. Customs and Border Protection on the lower level, and annexes for the International Arrivals Building for international passenger processing, as well as the four Z gates (used by Air Canada and United Express), H gates, various information kiosks and other support facilities. The main terminal was recognized by theAmerican Institute of Architects in 1966 for its design concept;[90] its roof is asuspendedcatenary providing a wide enclosed area unimpeded by any columns.[91][92]Its main terminal was designed byEero Saarinen, who also designed theTWA Flight Center atJohn F. Kennedy International Airport.[93]
The main terminal was extended in 1996 to 1,240 feet (380 m)—Saarinen's original design length—which was slightly more than double its originally constructed length of 600 feet (180 m).[86] On September 22, 2009, an expansion to include the 41,400 square feet (3,850 m2) International Arrivals Building opened for customs and immigration processing with a capacity to process 2,400 passengers per hour.[94]
Also in September 2009, a 121,700 square feet (11,310 m2) centralsecurity checkpoint was added on a new security mezzanine level of the main terminal. This checkpoint replaced previous checkpoints that were located behind the ticketing areas.[95] Travelers enrolled inTSA PreCheck andCLEAR still use this area to clear security.[96] A separate security checkpoint is available on the baggage claim level for staff only, and previously had access for all passengers as the Dulles Diamond area. Both public security checkpoints connect to escalators to the AeroTrain, which links the main terminal with the A and B concourse and links to a tunnel connecting to the C concourse.
All airlines aside from certain express flights operate out of two linearsatellite terminals. Each terminal is divided into two concourses, with the north terminal containing Concourses A and B, and the south terminal containing Concourses C and D.[97]
Concourses A and B are located in the midfield terminal building closer to the main terminal. They are utilized by all non-United flights as well as a limited number ofUnited Express flights.Concourse A has 47 gates, located in the eastern half of the north midfield terminal. It consists of a permanent ground-level set of gates designed for small planes and United Express flights, and several former Concourse B gates.[98] The concourse is primarily used for international flights.Air France andKLM have a lounge opposite gate A19,Etihad Airways operates a First and Business Class lounge across from gate A15, andVirgin Atlantic has a Clubhouse lounge adjacent to gate A31. Concourse A's AeroTrain station is located between gates A6 and A14.[97]
AKLMBoeing 787 aircraft serving Terminal A in June 2018.
Concourse B has 28 gates, located in the western half of the terminal. It is the first of the permanent elevated midfield concourses. Originally constructed in 1998 and designed bySkidmore, Owings & Merrill andHellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, the B concourse contained 20 gates. In 2003, 4 additional gates were added, followed by a 15-gate expansion in 2008.[99] In addition to the AeroTrain station located between gates B51 and B62, Concourse B is also connected to the main terminal by an underground walkway. Concourse B is used by some international carriers, and is also utilized by almost all non-United domestic and Canada flights. The facility also includes aBritish Airways Galleries lounge adjacent to the AeroTrain station, aLufthansa lounge between gates B49 and B51, and aTurkish Airlines lounge near gate B43.[100]
The interior of Concourse C and D, whereUnited's hub operation is based.
Concourses C and D are located in the south midfield terminal, and are used forUnited Airlines flights, including all mainline flights and mostUnited Express regional flights (save for a few that use Concourse A).
These concourses were constructed in 1983 as temporary facilities and designed byHellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum. The two concourses have 22 gates each, numbered C1–C28 and D1–D32, with odd-numbered gates on the north side of the building and even numbered gates on the south side. Concourse C composes the eastern half of the terminal and Concourse D composes the western half.[101][102] The C/D concourses were given a facelift in 2006 that included light-fixture upgrades, new paint finishes, new ceiling grids and tiles, heating and air conditioning replacement, and complete restroom renovations.[102]
While all gates in Concourses C/D can be utilized for both domestic and international departures, all United international arrivals are conducted at gates C1-C14. These gates contain two exit configurations depending on the arriving flight. Domestic passengers and international passengers from airports withU.S. customs pre-clearance exit directly into the concourse, while international arrivals from airports without border pre-clearance are redirected down a sterile corridor to U.S. Customs & Immigration. Passengers arriving from international destinations who are ending their journey at Dulles are then transported by mobile lounge to the International Arrivals Building, while passengers making onward connections are directed to a separate customs facility located on the ground floor of Concourse C. After being screened by TSA at a dedicated security checkpoint within the facility, these passengers then take escalators that deposit them in Concourse C near gate C7.[103]
A new and permanent C/D concourse (also called "Tier 2") is planned as part of the D2 Dulles Development Project. The new building is to include a three-level structure with 44 airline gates and similar amenities to Concourse B.[102] The concourse plan includes a dedicated mezzanine corridor with moving sidewalks to serve international passengers. The design and construction of the new C/D concourse has not been scheduled.[102] When built, it is planned that both terminals will be connected to the main terminal and other concourses via the AeroTrain. To that extent, the AeroTrain station at Concourse C was built at the location where the future Concourse C/D structure is proposed to be built, and is connected to the existing Concourse C via an underground walkway.[36] In April 2022, the Airport Authority published plans for a 14 gate Concourse E to be built atop the AeroTrain station with the purpose of replacing outdoor boarding areas at Concourse A. Construction is expected to cost between $500 million and $800 million and the airport is seeking $230 million grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.[104] Construction on the concourse began in August 2024, and it is expected to open in 2026.[105]
Since many major domestic and international airlines have a large presence at Washington Dulles, there are many airline lounges within the airport:
Air France /KLM: Air France/KLM Lounge, A Concourse across from gate A22.[106]
British Airways: BA Lounge for First class and Business class passengers (with Concorde Dining offered for First class passengers), located opposite the Concourse B Transit station.[107]
Capital One opened its second ever airport lounge at Dulles. It is operated by a third-party hospitality company and was opened on September 7, 2023, located in the main terminal just beyond the TSA PreCheck checkpoint.[108]
Etihad Airways: First and Business class lounge located adjacent to gate A14; managed by Chase and available to Chase Sapphire Reserve holders.[109]
Lufthansa: Senator Lounge and Business Lounge, B Concourse at gate B51.[106]
United Airlines: TwoUnited Clubs in Concourse C (at gates C7 and C17), and one in Concourse D at gate D8.[110] There is also a Polaris Lounge located directly across from gate C17.[111]
Washington Dulles is accessible via theDulles Access Road/Dulles Greenway (State Route 267) andState Route 28. The Access Road is a toll-free, limited access highway owned by theMetropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to facilitate car access to Washington Dulles from theCapital Beltway andInterstate 66.[229] After it opened, non-airport traffic between Washington andReston became so heavy that a parallel set of toll lanes were added on the same right-of-way to accommodate non-airport traffic (Dulles Toll Road). The airport-only lanes are both less congested and toll-free. As of November 1, 2008, MWAA assumed responsibility from theVirginia Department of Transportation both for operating the Dulles Toll Road and for the construction of theSilver Line down its median. Route 28, which runs north–south along the eastern edge of the airport, has been upgraded to a limited access highway, with the interchanges financed through a property tax surcharge on nearby business properties. The Dulles Toll Road (VA-267) is extended to the south ofLeesburg as the Dulles Greenway.
Washington Flyer has amonopoly to operate cabs from Washington Dulles Airport.[235]Uber andLyft are popular modes of transport to and from the airport, and MWAA receives a $4 fee per trip, which is included in the quoted fare.[236]
On October 1, 1965, aCessna 182 crashed on approach to Dulles Airport in a field inChantilly, killing all four occupants on board.[237][238]
There were three deaths during a nine-day air show held at Washington Dulles in conjunction with Transpo '72 (officially called the U.S. International Transportation Exposition, a $10 million event sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and attended by over one million visitors from around the world).
On May 29, 1972, the third day of the show, the pilot of a Kite Rider (a variety of hang glider) was killed in a crash. This was to be the first of the three air deaths during the Air Show.[239][240]
On June 3, 1972, a second death occurred at the Transpo '72 Air Show, during a sport plane pylon race. At 2:40 pm, during the second lap and near a turn about pylon 3, a trailing aircraft's (LOWERS R-1 N66AN) wing and propeller hit the right wing tip of a leading aircraft (CASSUTT BARTH N7017). The right wing immediately sheared off the fuselage, and the damaged aircraft crashed almost instantly, killing the 29-year-old pilot, Hugh C. Alexander. He was a professional Air Racer with over 10,200 hours.[241][242]
On June 4, 1972, during the last day of the 9-day Transpo '72 Air Show, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds experienced their first fatal crash at an air show. Major Joe Howard flying Thunderbird 3 was killed when his F-4E-32-MC Phantom II, 66-0321, lost power during a vertical maneuver. The pilot broke out of formation just after he completed a wedge roll and was ascending at around 2,500 feet (760 m) AGL. The aircraft staggered and descended in a flat attitude with little forward speed. Although Major Howard ejected as the aircraft fell back to earth from about 1,500 feet (460 m) tail first, and descended under a good canopy, winds blew him into the fireball ascending from the blazing crash site. The parachute melted and the pilot plummeted 200 feet (61 m), sustaining fatal injuries.[243]
On December 1, 1974, while diverting to Washington Dulles,TWA Flight 514 crashed onto the western slope ofMount Weather.[244] All 85 passengers and 7 crew members were killed on impact.
On June 14, 1979, the number 5 and 6 tires on an Air France Concorde blew out during takeoff. Shrapnel thrown from the tires and rims damaged number 2 engine, punctured three fuel tanks, severed several hydraulic lines and electrical wires, in addition to tearing a large hole on the top of the wing, over the wheel well area.[245]
On July 21, 1979, one month after the above tire incident, another Air France Concorde blew several of its landing gear tires during takeoff. After that second incident the "French director general of civil aviation issued an air worthiness directive and Air France issued a Technical Information Update, each calling for revised procedures. These included required inspection of each wheel/tire for condition, pressure and temperature prior to each take-off. In addition, crews were advised that landing gear should not be raised when a wheel/tire problem is suspected."[245]
On November 15, 1979American Airlines Flight 444 diverted to Dulles Airport instead of its scheduled destination ofWashington National Airport due to the detonation of a small bomb. The bomb detonated incompletely in the cargo hold of the aircraft and resulted in 12 passengers being treated for smoke inhalation. It was later determined this was the third bombing perpetrated byTheodore John Kaczynski aka "The Unabomber." Ultimately it was the involvement of the aircraft in his bombing targets that resulted in theFBI becoming involved with the investigation and search for the "Unabomber."[citation needed]
On June 18, 1994, aLearjet 25 operated by Mexican carrierTAESA crashed in trees while approaching the airport from the south. 12 people died.[247] The passengers were planning to attend the1994 FIFA World Cup soccer games being staged in Washington, D.C.
On January 19, 2024,Southern Airways Express Flight 246 made a hard emergency landing on theLoudoun County Parkway and struck a guardrail just after takeoff from Dulles International Airport. All 7 people survived without casualties.[249]
On November 10, 2025, amobile lounge—also known as a people mover—at Washington Dulles International Airport crashed into a dock at Concourse D. The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time while the vehicle was transporting passengers between the terminal and the concourse. Eighteen people sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to local hospitals for evaluation. Passengers evacuated the lounge using its stairs, and emergency crews responded promptly. Despite the crash, airport operations continued without disruption.[250]
Dulles has been a popular filming location, particularly in its early years when it had relatively low traffic levels in relation to its size and its elaborate design.
The airport featured extensively in theAirport film franchise – in all but thefirst film of the series.[251] In particular, bothAirport 1975 andAirport '79 contain scenes shot both inside and outside the main terminal building in its pre-extended state. Also shown is the mobile lounge system operating in its original form when the lounges directly docked with aircraft on the apron.[251]Airport '77 contains a night-time view of the terminal with aBoeing 747 taking off in the foreground.[252]
Die Hard 2 was set at Dulles, but in fact contains no footage actually shot at the airport.[253]
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