Dulles International Airport marks major milestone in concourse expansion
Dulles International Airport marks major milestone
Travelers passing through Dulles International Airport will soon see major upgrades taking shape as the facility?s concourse expansion moves forward.
DULLES, Va. - One of our area's largest airports is getting a facelift, and FOX 5 took part in a special event marking a major symbolic moment in the very important Dulles International Airport expansion project.
On Thursday, crews held a "topping off" ceremony, where they installed the final beam on what will soon be the new 435,000-square-foot "Concourse E" at Dulles International.
Concourse E takes shape
What we know:
The multimillion-dollar addition will be able to transition from seven to 14 gates depending on the needs of the airplane, include 17 concessions, host a brand-new United Lounge, and include state-of-the-art bathrooms.
Richard Golinowski, with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, is the Dulles International Airport manager.
"Oh, it's a huge milestone," Golinowski told FOX 5. "You know, we've been claiming this thing - or this tier - for quite a while now. We're one of the top five largest landmass airports in the country, so we have room for growth, and our airlines see that and then come to us and say, 'Hey, we believe we can expand.'"
Golinowski says in the past, annual passenger capacity grew by about 10% each year. Now, with the help of the Silver Line Metro now taking riders to Dulles and with more airlines offering direct flights, MWAA is expecting passenger capacity at IAD to grow 30% by 2030. The expansion project serves the anticipated increase in travelers.
Plans for the new "Concourse E" and other changes are part of the "Dulles Master Plan" recently approved by MWAA.
Changes help travelers
The new concourse will also include bridges to help international travelers reach customs more easily.
FOX 5 is told between 300 and 400 workers braved the region's frigid winter temperatures and blazing summer heat to get to this point, where the final beam is now installed.
One of those workers, Lorenzo Thompkins, tells FOX 5 he's from Washington, D.C., and also worked on Reagan National's expansion. He said crews work hard to follow OSHA safety standards and understand the responsibility they carry, knowing thousands of travelers will use something built by their hands.
"It's more tedious with them. That's actually a good thing. It's a good feeling that I was a part of that. I have kids and grandkids. I can show them like, you know, Paw-Paw helped build that, so it's a good thing," said Thompkins.
The new concourse will also have direct AeroTrain access and is expected to open in fall 2026.
You can read more about the Dulles International Airport Master Plan online.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.