
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, commonly referred to as BWI Airport, is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The zip code for BWI Airport is 21240, which is situated near Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and covers parts of Baltimore City. BWI Airport, one of the three major airports serving the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area, has undergone significant modernisation and expansion since its inception, including terminal upgrades, improved landing capabilities, and the addition of new cargo terminals.
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What You'll Learn
- The zip code for BWI Airport is 21240-0766
- BWI Airport is also known as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
- The airport is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
- BWI is one of three major airports serving the Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area
- Southwest Airlines is the airport's largest carrier

The zip code for BWI Airport is 21240-0766
BWI Airport has an interesting history. Planning for the airport began in 1944, with a site chosen near Linthicum Heights, Maryland, due to its proximity to Baltimore and several railroad lines. The airport opened in 1950 as Friendship International Airport, with the first flight taking off on May 22. In 1973, the airport was renamed Baltimore/Washington International Airport to attract passengers from the Washington metropolitan area. In 2005, the airport was again renamed to honour Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native and the first African American to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Over the years, BWI Airport has undergone significant renovations and expansions. In the 1980s, the BWI Rail Station opened, providing the first dedicated intercity rail connection to an airport in the U.S. In 1997, a new international terminal was added, and in recent years, the airport has continued to upgrade its facilities, including expanding its terminal and increasing the number of gates.
BWI Airport is easily accessible and offers convenient parking, making it a popular choice for travellers in the Baltimore-Washington region. With its modern terminal and efficient operations, BWI has earned a reputation for being a traveller's "easy come, easy go" gateway to the world.
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BWI Airport is also known as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
BWI Airport, also known as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The airport is situated 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown Baltimore and 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Washington, D.C. It is one of three major airports serving the Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area, alongside Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
The airport's IATA code, BWI, was assigned by the International Air Transport Association on April 20, 1980, replacing the previous code of BAL. The BWI code had been previously used by an airport in Bewani, Papua New Guinea. The airport's zip code is 21240, which is also used by addresses in the city of Baltimore.
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport was named in honour of Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native who became the first African American to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Planning for the airport began in 1944, with a site chosen near Linthicum Heights, Maryland, due to its proximity to Baltimore and several transportation links. The airport has undergone significant renovations and expansions over the years, including the addition of a dedicated intercity rail station in 1980, making it the first airport in the U.S. with such a connection.
BWI Airport has been a hub for low-cost flights in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area since Southwest Airlines' arrival in 1993. Southwest Airlines is currently the airport's largest carrier, and BWI recorded 12,849,636 passenger enplanements in 2023, making it the busiest airport in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. The airport also ranked second in the region in 2024, serving 27.06 million passengers.
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The airport is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
The BWI Airport, or Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The airport's zip code is 21240, which is also the postal code for the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
BWI Airport is situated 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown Baltimore and 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Washington, D.C. It is one of three major airports serving the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area, alongside Dulles International Airport in Virginia and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, also in Virginia.
The airport's location in Anne Arundel County was chosen in 1944 by the Baltimore Aviation Commission, which decided that a 2,100-acre tract of land near Linthicum Heights, Maryland, would be the ideal site for a new airport. The location was selected due to its proximity to Baltimore and its connectivity via the Pennsylvania Railroad line, the Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad line, and the proposed Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Over the years, BWI Airport has undergone significant development and modernization. In 1973, the airport was renamed Baltimore/Washington International Airport to attract passengers from the Washington metropolitan area, particularly Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland. In 1980, the BWI Rail Station opened, making BWI the first airport in the U.S. with a dedicated intercity rail station, providing a connection to Washington, D.C.
Today, BWI Airport is a significant transportation hub, serving over 27 million passengers in 2024 and ranking as the busiest airport in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area in terms of passenger enplanements in 2023. It is known for its low fares, convenient parking, modern terminal, and efficient operations, making it a popular choice for travellers in the region.
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BWI is one of three major airports serving the Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (IATA: BWI, ICAO: KBWI, FAA LID: BWI) is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown Baltimore and 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Washington, D.C. The airport's zip code is 21240, which is in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and also covers addresses in the city of Baltimore.
BWI Airport has been an important hub for low-cost flights in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area since Southwest Airlines arrived in September 1993 and expanded in the early 2000s. Southwest Airlines is the airport's largest carrier, accounting for 56.12% of the airport's passengers in 2011. The airline currently serves an average of 245 daily departures to the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean.
The airport has undergone significant development over the years. In 1980, the BWI Rail Station opened, providing the first dedicated intercity rail station for a US airport, connecting passengers to Washington, D.C. In 1997, a new international terminal (Concourse E) was added, and renovations have doubled the size of the terminal to 14.58 acres (5.90 ha). The airport was originally named Baltimore/Washington International Airport, but in 2005, it was renamed in honour of Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native and the first African American to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
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Southwest Airlines is the airport's largest carrier
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (IATA: BWI, ICAO: KBWI, FAA LID: BWI) is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, approximately 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown Baltimore and 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Washington, D.C. The airport serves as a major gateway to the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area, alongside Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
BWI Airport, with the IATA code "BWI," has undergone significant modernisation and expansion over the years. The airport's terminal size has more than doubled, and it now boasts 27 gates. BWI was also the first airport in the United States to feature a dedicated intercity rail station, providing convenient connections to nearby cities.
Southwest Airlines has made substantial investments in BWI Airport, including the construction of dedicated bases for its pilots, flight attendants, and maintenance crews. In 2005, Concourses A and B were expanded and renovated to accommodate Southwest's extensive operations, and the airline partially funded the construction of the 25-gate A/B terminal. More recently, in 2018, construction began on a $60 million, five-gate expansion of Terminal A for Southwest Airlines, further solidifying the airline's presence at BWI.
The airline has also contributed to the local economy, with BWI serving as Southwest's largest east coast hub. The airline employs over 5,200 people in the D.C. area and has opened a maintenance facility at BWI, demonstrating its commitment to the airport and the region. Southwest Airlines has expressed interest in further expansion, indicating that BWI will continue to be a key part of its operations.
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Frequently asked questions
The zip code for BWI Airport is 21240-0766.
BWI Airport is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown Baltimore and 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Washington, D.C.
BWI stands for Baltimore/Washington International. The airport is also known as Thurgood Marshall Airport, named after the Baltimore native and the first African American to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.






























