Owais Crawford
On February 6, 1998, President Bill Clinton signed a bill to change the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, honouring the former president on his 87th birthday. The airport, which opened in 1941, is located in Arlington County, Virginia, and is the closest airport to the nation's capital. The site has a rich history, dating back to colonial times, and has been the subject of several renovation and expansion projects over the years to accommodate increasing passenger traffic and improve facilities.
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What You'll Learn
The airport was originally named Washington National Airport
The airport's main concourse is known as 'National Hall', and the original waiting room, with its views across the Potomac River to the National Mall, has been restored. Part of the original terminal is still in use as Terminal 1, and the much larger Terminal 2 opened in 1997.
In 1998, President Bill Clinton signed a bill renaming the airport in honour of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. The full formal name is "Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport", but many people refer to it simply as "Reagan Airport" or "National Airport".
The airport is one of the 25 busiest in the US and the busiest in the Washington metropolitan area. It serves 98 nonstop destinations, primarily as a 'short-haul' airport, and is a hub for American Airlines. Reagan National is also home to Coast Guard Air Station Washington.
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The name change was authorised by Bill Clinton
On February 6, 1998, President William Jefferson Clinton signed into law the bill that changed the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The legislation was introduced and passed in Congress, and it was signed by Clinton to honour the former president on his 87th birthday.
The name change was not without controversy, as it went against the wishes of MWAA officials and political leaders in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Opponents argued that a large federal office building already bore Reagan's name, and that the airport was already named for George Washington, the first president of the United States.
Despite these objections, the bill stated that no funds would be required to accomplish the name change. However, state, regional, and federal authorities were later required to change highway and transit signs at their own additional expense.
The airport, located in Arlington County, Virginia, is one of two airports owned by the federal government and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). The other airport is Dulles International Airport, located about 25 miles away in Fairfax and Loudoun counties.
The name change for the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was part of a series of renovations and expansions at the airport, which included the addition of a new terminal and the renovation of Terminal A, originally built in 1941.
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The airport is located in Arlington County, Virginia
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is located in Arlington County, Virginia, United States. It is about five miles from Washington, D.C., and is the closest airport to the nation's capital. It is one of two airports owned by the federal government and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) that serve the Washington metropolitan area. The other airport is the Dulles International Airport, located about 25 miles west in Fairfax and Loudoun counties.
The airport opened in 1941 and was originally named Washington National Airport. The site is rich in historical significance, dating back to colonial days. The area, known as Gravelly Point, is where Captain John Alexander built a home called "Abingdon" in 1746. A descendant of Alexander, Philip, donated most of the land on which the City of Alexandria was built, and it was named in his honour.
In 1945, Congress passed a law that established the airport was legally within Virginia, mainly for liquor sales taxation purposes, but under the jurisdiction of the federal government. On July 1 of that year, the airport's weather station became the official point for D.C. weather observations and records by the National Weather Service, in Washington, D.C.
In 1998, Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed a bill renaming the airport in honour of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who was in office from 1981 to 1989. The legislation was drafted against the wishes of MWAA officials and political leaders in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Opponents argued that a large federal office building had already been named for Reagan—the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
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The airport is one of the busiest in the US
The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, located in Arlington County, Virginia, is one of the busiest airports in the United States. It is situated just five miles from Washington, D.C., making it the closest airport to the nation's capital. The airport has a rich history, dating back to colonial times, and has been serving the Capital Region since its opening in 1941.
Reagan National Airport is a hub for American Airlines and offers non-stop service to 98 destinations, primarily within a 1,250-mile radius of Washington, D.C., due to federal restrictions. However, the airport does offer limited non-stop, long-distance flights to select cities, including Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Los Angeles. The airport's main runway is the busiest in the nation, and it served a record-breaking 26.29 million passengers in 2024, an increase of 3.3% over the previous year.
The airport has undergone significant development over the years, with the addition of new terminals and renovation projects. Terminal B/C, constructed in 1997, handles most of the airport's traffic and features a three-level glass structure with 35 gates and over 60 shops. The total renovation and construction projects have cost an estimated $800 million, and the two terminals now offer a total floor space of 975,000 square feet.
Reagan National Airport is one of two airports owned by the federal government and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), along with Dulles International Airport, located about 25 miles away. The MWAA is responsible for capital improvements and operates a two-airport system, providing domestic and international air service to the Washington metropolitan region.
The airport plays a crucial role in the local economy, providing over 25,000 jobs to the community. However, it has also faced controversies and safety concerns, with a recent spate of incidents, including a deadly plane crash in January 2025, prompting investigations and changes by the Federal Aviation Administration. Despite these challenges, Reagan National Airport remains a vital transportation hub, serving millions of passengers each year.
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The airport is a hub for American Airlines
The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, located in Arlington County, Virginia, is one of the two airports that serve the Washington metropolitan area. The airport, which first opened in 1941, was originally named the Washington National Airport.
On February 6, 1998, President Bill Clinton signed a bill renaming the airport to honour former President Ronald Reagan on his 87th birthday. The airport has a rich history, dating back to colonial times when the area was known as Gravelly Point.
Reagan National Airport is a hub for American Airlines, serving 98 nonstop destinations as of October 2023. It is one of the 25 busiest airports in the US and the busiest in the Washington metropolitan area. The airport's main runway is the busiest in the nation, and it served 26.29 million passengers in 2024, a 3.3% increase over the previous year.
The airport primarily serves as a 'short-haul' airport, offering non-stop flights to destinations within 1,250 miles of Washington, DC, due to federal restrictions. However, it does offer limited non-stop, long-distance flights to cities like Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Reagan National Airport also hosts international flights, but the lack of immigration and customs facilities restricts routes to airports with US Customs and Border Protection preclearance, mainly in Canada and the Caribbean.
The airport has undergone several renovation projects to increase its capacity and improve its facilities. Terminal B/C, constructed in 1997, handles most of the airport's traffic and boasts a three-level glass structure with 35 gates and numerous shops. The total renovation and construction projects have cost an estimated $800 million, and the two terminals now offer a total floor space of 975,000 square feet.
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Frequently asked questions
National Airport was renamed Reagan National Airport in February 1998.
The airport was renamed in honour of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who was in office from 1981 to 1989.
The name change was authorised by President Bill Clinton.
The full name of the airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
