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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is a public airport in Arlington County, Virginia, United States. It is one of two airports that serve the Washington metropolitan area and is located just 4-8km from Washington, D.C. The airport, which opened in 1941, was originally named Washington National Airport. In 1998, it was renamed in honour of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport |
| IATA Code | DCA |
| ICAO Code | KDCA |
| FAA LID | DCA |
| Location | Arlington County, Virginia, United States |
| Distance from Washington, D.C. | 4-5 miles |
| Year of Opening | 1941 |
| Previous Name | Washington National Airport |
| Number of Terminals | 2 |
| Number of Gates | 59-60 |
| Number of Passengers (Pre-COVID-19) | 23.9 million annually |
| Destinations | 100+ across the U.S. and Canada |
| Number of Pet Relief Areas | 6 |
| Number of Duty-Free Shops | 1 |
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What You'll Learn
- The airport's name was changed to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in 1998
- The airport's code, DCA, comes from its former name, Washington National Airport
- The airport is located in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C
- The airport is one of two airports in the Washington, D.C. region that are federally owned
- Political preference influences how people refer to the airport, with Republicans favouring Reagan and Democrats National or DCA
The airport's name was changed to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in 1998
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is a public airport in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. It is the closest airport to the nation's capital, located just four miles from Washington, D.C. The airport first opened in 1941 and was originally named Washington National Airport.
In 1998, the airport's name was changed to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. This change occurred when Congress passed a bill to rename the airport in honour of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who served from 1981 to 1989. The bill was then signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
The airport's original terminal is still in use as Terminal 1, while the much larger Terminal 2 opened in 1997. Argentine architect César Pelli designed the new terminals, which include a large window overlooking airport operations and the Washington, D.C. skyline. The building is adorned with 54 "Jeffersonian" domes, connecting it to the region's architecture.
Today, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is one of two airports owned by the federal government and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). The other is Dulles International Airport (IAD), located about 25 miles west in Fairfax and Loudoun counties.
Despite the official name change, many people still refer to the airport by its original name or simply as "DCA." A survey found that only 31% of people used the name "Reagan," while 57% dropped the former president's name altogether. Political preference also influenced the naming choices, with Republicans favouring "Reagan" and Democrats preferring "National" or "DCA."
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The airport's code, DCA, comes from its former name, Washington National Airport
The airport code for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is DCA. The airport, located in Arlington County, Virginia, is the closest airport to Washington, D.C. It was originally named Washington National Airport and opened in 1941. In 1997, the new terminal complex, Terminal 2, and two parking garages were opened.
In 1998, Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed a bill to rename the airport in honour of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who served from 1981 to 1989. Despite the official name change, many people still refer to the airport by its former name, with only 31% of people calling it "Reagan" and 12% using "Reagan National". The airport code, DCA, is a remnant of its original name, Washington National Airport.
Washington National Airport has a rich history that dates back to colonial times. The area, known as Gravelly Point, was once home to Captain John Alexander, who built a house called "Abingdon" in 1746. The site is also significant as the birthplace of President George Washington's granddaughter, Eleanor "Nelly" Parke Custis.
The need for a new airport in the National Capital area became apparent in the late 1920s, as the existing facilities were inadequate. Hoover Field, which opened in 1926, and Washington Airport, which began service in 1927, merged in 1930 to form Washington-Hoover Airport due to economic pressures from the Great Depression. However, this airport was also inadequate, with its runway intersected by a busy street.
Finally, in 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced that the new airport would be built on mudflats on a bend of the Potomac River at Gravelly Point, just 4.5 miles south of Washington, D.C. Construction began soon after, and the airport, now known as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, continues to serve the Washington, D.C. area today.
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The airport is located in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is located in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is the closest airport to the nation's capital, just 4-5 miles away, and is one of two airports that serve the Washington metropolitan area. The airport is rich in historical significance, with the land dating back to colonial times. The area, known as Gravelly Point, is where Captain John Alexander built a home called "Abingdon" in 1746. The airport was built on mudflats on a bend of the Potomac River at Gravelly Point, and first opened in 1941 as Washington National Airport.
The airport's site was chosen by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, after years of debate and committee reports on the need for a new airport. The original terminal, now known as Terminal 1, is still in use, while the much larger Terminal 2 was opened in 1997. Terminal 2 was designed by Argentine architect César Pelli, and includes a large window overlooking airport operations and the Washington, D.C. skyline. The building is adorned with 54 "Jeffersonian" domes, reflecting the architecture of the region.
In 1998, the airport was renamed in honour of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, who was in office from 1981 to 1989. Despite the official name change, many people still refer to the airport as "National" or "Reagan National", with only around a third of people including "Reagan" when referring to the airport.
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The airport is one of two airports in the Washington, D.C. region that are federally owned
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is one of two airports in the Washington, D.C. region that are federally owned. The airport is located in Arlington County, Virginia, just four to six and a half miles from Washington, D.C., making it the closest airport to the nation's capital. It primarily serves domestic flights within the United States and a select few airports in Canada. Due to its 1,250-mile perimeter for destinations, it is often referred to as the short-haul airport of Washington, D.C.
The airport has a rich history dating back to colonial times. The land on which the airport sits was once called "Abingdon," a home built by Captain John Alexander in 1746. The site was of particular significance as it was the birthplace of President George Washington's granddaughter, Eleanor "Nelly" Parke Custis. In 1930, Abingdon was destroyed by fire, and its ruins were stabilised.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the need for a new airport in the National Capital area became apparent due to the inadequacies of existing airport facilities. Hoover Field, which opened in 1926, and Washington Airport, which began service in 1927, merged in 1930 to form Washington-Hoover Airport. However, this airport faced several challenges, including obstructions and a busy street intersecting its only runway.
After years of debate and reports highlighting the need for a new airport, President Franklin D. Roosevelt took matters into his own hands in 1938. He announced that the new airport would be built on mudflats on a bend of the Potomac River at Gravelly Point, just south of Washington, D.C. Construction began shortly after, and the airport, originally named Washington National Airport, opened in 1941.
In 1997, the new Terminal 2, designed by Argentine architect César Pelli, opened, along with two parking garages. The airport was later renamed in 1998 to honour the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. Today, the airport continues to serve millions of passengers annually, offering convenient access to Washington, D.C., and the surrounding region.
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Political preference influences how people refer to the airport, with Republicans favouring Reagan and Democrats National or DCA
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is a public airport in Arlington County, Virginia, United States, just four to six and a half kilometres from Washington, D.C. It is one of two airports that serve the Washington metropolitan area and is the closest airport to the nation's capital.
The airport was originally named Washington National Airport and opened in 1941. In 1998, Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed a bill renaming the airport in honour of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, who was in office from 1981 to 1989.
Despite the official name change, political preference influences how people refer to the airport. A survey found that only 31% of people referred to the airport as "Reagan" and only 12% as "Reagan National", while 57% dropped the former president's name altogether. The survey also revealed that political affiliation played a role in the naming preference: 72% of Republicans refer to the airport as "Reagan", while 64% of Democrats call it "National" or "DCA".
The airport has two terminals (A and B) with 5 concourses and serves over 23.9 million passengers annually (pre-COVID-19). It primarily serves domestic flights within the United States and a select few airports in Canada. As a result, the airport does not have any customs or immigration facilities.
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Frequently asked questions
DCA is the airport code for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is used to easily identify the airport in various contexts, such as flight schedules and baggage tags.
The airport was renamed in 1998 by Congress and President Bill Clinton to honour the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who served from 1981 to 1989.
The airport, which opened in 1941, was originally named Washington National Airport.
