Lois Larson
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (IATA: DCA, ICAO: KDCA) is located in Virginia, USA. It was originally named Washington National Airport when it opened in 1941, but was renamed in 1998 in honour of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. The airport is one of the 25 busiest in the US, serving 26.29 million passengers as of October 2023.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport |
| Location | Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, DC |
| Year opened | 1941 |
| IATA code | DCA |
| ICAO code | KDCA |
| Number of runways | 3 |
| Number of terminals | 2 |
| Number of gates | 58 (9 in Terminal 1, 49 in Terminal 2) |
| Number of lounges | 7 |
| Number of nonstop destinations | 98-100+ |
| Annual passenger count | 18 million+ |
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What You'll Learn
IATA code: DCA
The IATA code for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is DCA. The airport is located in Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, and is the closest airport to the city. It is one of the 25 busiest airports in the US, serving as a hub for American Airlines and offering nonstop flights to 98 destinations (or 100-plus, according to another source). Reagan National is also the busiest airport in the Washington metropolitan area.
The airport first opened in 1941, and it was originally named Washington National Airport. In 1998, Congress passed a bill to rename the airport in honour of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States. Reagan National has two terminals, with nearly 100 shops and restaurants between them. Terminal 1, which is still partly the original terminal, has nine gates, while the much larger Terminal 2 has 49 gates. Terminal 2 is directly connected to the WMATA airport station via indoor pedestrian bridges.
Reagan National Airport has three intersecting runways: 01/19, 15/33, and 04/22. Runway 01 handles approximately 57% of arrivals, while Runway 19 accounts for about 38%. The airport has some of the strictest noise restrictions in the country. Due to security concerns, certain flight paths are restricted. Reagan National only has customs facilities for corporate jet traffic, and flights can only land there from airports with their own US Customs and Border Protection facilities.
The airport is accessible via its own Metro stop on the Blue and Yellow lines. It also has multiple garages and parking lots for those who prefer to drive. On average, more than 3,000 taxis are dispatched from the airport every day.
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ICAO code: KDCA
The ICAO code for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is KDCA. The airport is located in Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, and is the closest airport to the city. It is one of the 25 busiest airports in the US and the busiest in the Washington metropolitan area.
The airport first opened in 1941 as Washington National Airport, and was renamed in 1998 in honour of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. It is a hub for American Airlines and offers nonstop flights to 98 destinations, with some routes restricted due to a lack of immigration and customs facilities. Reagan National has two terminals, with 58 gates in total.
The airport has three intersecting runways: 01/19, 15/33, and 04/22. Runway 01 handles the majority of arrivals, while Runway 19 is used for around 38%. Runway 33 is typically reserved for smaller aircraft due to its shorter length, and Runway 04 is occasionally used for commercial aircraft departures.
Reagan National has strict noise restrictions and is accessible via its own Metro stop on the Blue and Yellow lines. It offers a range of dining and shopping options, and there are several airport lounges available for passengers.
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Location: Virginia, USA
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is located in Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is the closest airport to the city. The airport's IATA code is DCA, and its ICAO code is KDCA.
The airport first opened in 1941 as Washington National Airport, and it was renamed in 1998 in honour of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States. Reagan National Airport is one of the 25 busiest airports in the country, serving as a hub for American Airlines and offering nonstop flights to 98-plus destinations.
The airport has two terminals, with a total of 58 gates: 9 in Terminal 1 and 49 in Terminal 2. Terminal 2, which opened in 1997, is the newer and larger terminal, designed by architect Cesar Pelli and connected to the WMATA airport station via indoor pedestrian bridges. The terminal has four concourses, housing several lounges and gates for various airlines.
Reagan National Airport has strict noise restrictions and is subject to the federally-instituted "Perimeter Rule," limiting nonstop flights to destinations within a 1,250-mile radius of Washington, D.C. However, exceptions have been made for specific cities beyond this perimeter.
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History: opened in 1941 as Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport first opened in 1941 as Washington National Airport. The site was selected by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, and construction began in 1940. The airport was built on land that was underwater at the time, requiring more than 15 million cubic metres of sand and gravel to be moved to the site.
The airport officially opened on June 16, 1941, with President Roosevelt in attendance to observe the first official landing. American Airlines won the honour of being the first to land at the new airport, with pilot Bennett H. Griffin at the helm. Griffin later became the manager of National Airport in 1947. Terminal 1, designed by architect Charles M. Goodman, opened in 1941 and was expanded in 1955 to accommodate more passengers and airlines. The terminal has since undergone multiple renovations to modernise its look and improve facilities. Part of the original terminal is still in use today.
In 1997, the much larger Terminal 2 opened, replacing a collection of airline-specific terminals built during the 1960s. Terminal 2 was designed by architect Cesar Pelli and is directly connected to the WMATA airport station via indoor pedestrian bridges. The newer terminal houses 35 gates across four concourses, with Concourse E opening in 2021 as a replacement for Gate 35X.
In 1998, Congress passed a bill to rename the airport in honour of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, who served from 1981 to 1989. The bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, and the airport became known as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The airport is located in Arlington County, Virginia, just five miles from Washington, D.C., making it the closest airport to the nation's capital.
Today, Reagan National Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States, serving over 26 million passengers in 2024. It is a hub for American Airlines and offers nonstop flights to more than 100 destinations. The airport hosts international flights but lacks immigration and customs facilities, restricting routes to airports with US Customs and Border Protection preclearance facilities. Reagan National is also home to the Coast Guard Air Station Washington.
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Terminals: 2 terminals, with 58 gates in total
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has two terminals with a total of 58 gates. Terminal 1, which opened in 1941, has 9 gates. Part of the original terminal is still in use. Terminal 2, which opened in 1997, is much larger and houses 49 gates. The newer terminal was designed by architect Cesar Pelli and is directly connected to the WMATA airport station via indoor pedestrian bridges.
Terminal 2 has four concourses: B, C, D, and E. Concourse B (Gates B10–B22) houses Alaska Airlines, Delta, and United. There is a Delta Sky Club near gate B15 and a United Club near gate B10. Concourse C (Gates C23–C34) houses American and JetBlue. There is an American Airlines Admirals Club near gate C24. Concourse D (Gates D35–D45) is exclusive to American for their hub at DCA. There is another Admirals Club near gate D36. Concourse E (Gates E46–E59) houses American Eagle and American. There is a third Admirals Club near gate E47. The corridor connecting the four concourses of Terminal 2 is known as National Hall.
In April 2021, a new 14-gate concourse opened to passengers, marking the permanent closure of Gate 35X and its busing operation. American Airlines relocated its regional flights to the concourse's 14 new gates. In November 2021, two new 50,000-square-foot security checkpoint buildings were opened. After clearing the new checkpoints, passengers can move freely between gate areas without being re-screened.
The airport has nearly 100 shops and restaurants across its two terminals, offering a mix of national, local, and regional retail and food concessions.
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Frequently asked questions
The IATA airport code for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is DCA, and the ICAO code is KDCA.
Reagan Airport is located in Arlington, Virginia, in the United States.
The full name of the airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Reagan Airport first opened in 1941.
Reagan National Airport's newest and largest terminal is Terminal 2, which opened in 1997 and has 49 gates.
