Dulles Airport: Sprawling Across Acres Of Land

Washington Dulles International Airport, named after John Foster Dulles, is a large airport occupying 13,000 acres (20.3 sq mi; 52.6 km2). It straddles the Loudoun–Fairfax line in Virginia, 26 miles from downtown Washington, D.C. The airport was originally built on 10,000 acres of land, but has since expanded.

The airport occupies 13,000 acres, straddling the Loudoun-Fairfax line

The Washington Dulles International Airport occupies 13,000 acres, straddling the Loudoun-Fairfax line. The airport is named after John Foster Dulles, who was Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953-1959. It opened in 1962 and was originally built on 10,000 acres of land, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. Today, the airport sits on an 11,184-acre site, with 3,831 acres used for aircraft operations.

The airport has expanded over the years, with an additional 1,000 acres acquired in 1999 and 830 acres in 2005. In 2018, the Airports Authority announced the sale of 424 acres of western lands at the airport. Despite these sales, the airport still ranks fourth in the US in terms of land area.

The main terminal was designed by Eero Saarinen, who also designed the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Saarinen knew that air travel was set to boom, so he incorporated allowances for expansion in his plan. The terminal has since been expanded to 1,240 feet long, boasting a total of 1.1 million square feet.

It is the fourth-largest airport in the US in terms of land area

Washington Dulles International Airport is the fourth-largest airport in the US in terms of land area. It occupies 13,000 acres (20.3 sq mi; 52.6 km2), straddling the Loudoun–Fairfax line. The airport was originally built on 10,000 acres of land, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. Today, the airport sits on an 11,184-acre site – 3,831 acres of which are used for aircraft operations. In 1999, an additional 1,000 acres were acquired, and in 2005, an extra 830 acres were added. In 2018, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority sold 424 acres of western land at the airport.

It was originally built on 10,000 acres of land

Washington Dulles International Airport was originally built on 10,000 acres of land, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport is named after John Foster Dulles, who was Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. It opened in 1962, and its main terminal was designed by Eero Saarinen, who also designed the TWA Flight Centre at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The terminal was built to be compact yet striking, with two levels, 600 feet long and 200 feet wide. Saarinen knew that air travel was set to boom, so he incorporated allowances for expansion in his plan. This expansion was completed in 1996, and the terminal today stands at 1,240 feet long, with a total of 1.1 million square feet.

In 1999, an additional 1,000 acres were acquired, and in 2005, a further 830 acres were added. The airport now sits on an 11,184-acre site, with 3,831 acres used for aircraft operations. Dulles Airport has 113 airline gates.

Dulles occupies 13,000 acres (20.3 sq mi; 52.6 km2), straddling the Loudoun-Fairfax line. It ranks fourth in the US in terms of land area, after Denver International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport.

The airport has expanded over the years, acquiring additional land

Dulles Airport occupies 13,000 acres, straddling the Loudoun-Fairfax line. It ranks fourth in the US in terms of land area, after Denver International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport.

The airport's main terminal was designed by Eero Saarinen, who also designed the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Saarinen knew that air travel was set to boom, so he incorporated allowances for expansion in his plan. This expansion was completed in 1996, and the terminal today stands at 1,240 feet long, boasting a total of 1.1 million square feet.

The airport recently sold 424 acres of its western lands

The Washington Dulles International Airport, named after John Foster Dulles, occupies 13,000 acres of land (20.3 sq mi; 52.6 km2), straddling the Loudoun–Fairfax line. It is the fourth-largest airport in the US in terms of land area. The airport was originally built on 10,000 acres of land, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. Today, the airport sits on an 11,184-acre site, with 3,831 acres used for aircraft operations.

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