My favorite U.S. airport is Washington National, located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (though bearing a District of Columbia address). I love not only its central location, but the beautiful architecture of both its old and new terminals. This Washington National photo essay documents the beauty of this airport.
Washington National Airport Photo Essay
National Airport, formally known as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, was built during the Great Depression on the site of a former plantation, with President Franklin D Roosevelt going around Congress in order to pull funds from other allocations to cobble together the money to build this airport.
The airport opened shortly before the U.S. entered World War II and a beautiful new terminal opened in 1997. Even so, DCA has a perimeter ruled that limits long-distance flights. It was enacted in 1966 in an effort to protect newly-constructed Washington Dulles Airport. Over the years, it has loosened with many exceptions that permit travel to the western continental USA.
After landing from Newark, I opted to take advantage of the crisp but beautiful afternoon to take some pictures.
American Express has announced it will open a Centurion Lounge at DCA in 2022. What a shame it cannot use this beautiful space for the lounge. I hope the new lounge will incorporate some of beauty of this terminal space.
In Terminal A, you can visit a small museum which shares of the history of this airport.
The old part of the airport is beautiful, but so is the new terminal, though a very different style:
As a bonus, here’s a few pictures from the very retro United Airlines lounge at DCA:
CONCLUSION
I view National Airport as a national treasure. This is a beautiful airport steeped in history and with a short drive or Metro ride into the District, also one of the most convenient.
Do you have any special DCA memories?
Can you explain how Ronald Reagan’s name was removed from National Airport?
You wrote “National Airport, formally known as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport” Having grown up in Arlington and attended school in DC I had to do a double take on that sentence sending me to the airport’s home page and a call to my son who works at DOD. I will of course leave politic’s out.
It says “formally” known, not “formerly” known. No politic’s at play here, though you may want to read the story about some guy’s uncle, named Jack, and the dealings he had with a horse.
You seem to be misreading “formally” as “formerly.” The formal name is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport but locals refer to it as DCA or just National. This is my home airport and I agree with Matthew that it’s a gem.
Did you get into the United Club on this trip, or is it a picture from a previous trip? I thought it was closed, and it has been the few times I’ve been there.
Yes Ghostrider – you misread “formally” for “formerly”. The full name is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Reagan’s name was appended to the name in 1998 or so when I was in college. Prior to that it was only “National Airport”. Those who’ve been here for a long time leave the “politic’s” out and just say National or DCA.
This was from a previous trip.
Enjoyed the pictures!
When I was an intern in DC back in ’08 I would spend my Saturdays sitting in the old waiting room just taking in the history. I love how much of the airport is open to the public (pre-security). Then when I got tired of being indoors I would walk on over to Gravelly Point and spend a few hours there. It was an AvGeek’s dream and a time I’ll never forget.
Does anyone remember the private parking for Congress or the short term sleeping hotel? That was a long time ago, my first touch and goes were done at IAD then over to shoot the approach at DCA . And yes it’s always “National” to me.
I like the old part of National including the part that is dead, the part between the old round concourse and the new terminal. From an architectural standpoint, I also like Dulles and, for a weird reason, the 1960’s feeling of JFK Terminal 2 (formerly Northwest / Delta terminal).
For a purely functional, but pleasant terminals, I like SFO and SEA.
Someday, after the pandemic, I have to re-visit terminals. I haven’t been to one in a year.
Being one of my hometown airports I am so happy to see this, Matthew. National is a gem. As a native to DC I even remember as a kid the days when the original terminal was all you got. I even recall my first flight from there when I was 6 on an Eastern 727 to Atlanta. My true flying days though started when the interim terminal was up for some time as they built the new one. That was a hot mess if you ever saw one!
You will find few here in DC that will argue how lucky we are to have DCA. Imagine rolling out of your bed from anywhere in NW and being to security in as little as 15 minutes. It could be a shack and we would still love it for that. But the bonus is such user friendly and well laid out terminals.
With that said, Dulles should get some shout outs as well. Easily the most beautiful main terminal in the world. Even after decades, rounding that corner on the Dulles access road at sunset as the Saarinen building springs into view still gives me chills.
I have relatives in NoVa and for years we used to fly out there in December for a family Secret Santa Christmas exchange. We took the gifts out and back. My Mom worked for Ozark Airlines and then TWA so we saw the development from the late 70’s to the early 90’s, and then the new terminal as we visited just to visit. It will always be Washington National to me, because it was always named after our first President, sort of. I remember flying on Ozark, where United handled them at the gate and ticket counter. The UA folks always seemed really nice even though the were handling another carrier. OZ had some in house staff at the gate but check-in was always UA. After TWA took over OZ, we flew out of the rotunda on A, and it was a very different experience, not bad, just different. There seemed to be less hustle and bustle, but the staff at TWA were more…I dunno…businesslike. No fuss, no muss. The last time I flew out of DCA on TWA we got a 757 that was scheduled DCA-STL-LAX-KOA. We got to the runway then made a quick exit due to incoming aircraft and went back to the end and took off like a ROCKET. Always something new at DCA back in the day.
For an airport it’s size, it is a gem. Easy to navigate once you’re inside, lovely architecture, and decent shops and dining for killing time. If only most smaller airports were this nice.
In regards to the name, practically no one in the DMV area uses the “Reagan” name. It’s just DCA or National. United refers to it as Washington National on their gate information displays, and Delta does the same sometimes, and I have also seen them say Washington/DCA instead of either. Several other airports (With non airline controlled GIDS) often use Washington Nat’l.
Just a quick note, the airport does not have a DC address, but rather an Arlington VA one. Congress has ruled that DCA is legally in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Evidently no one who reads this site has had to schlep themselves & their luggage from the Metro all-the-way over to the Southwest terminal, The reverse is even worse when yr fatigued from the flight. That is one torturous aerobic experience that, itself, qualifies as “travel”. DCA got bigger but not necessarily better.
Seeing the Eastern Airlines sign reminds me of when as a young person I would fly the Eastern shuttle between LGA and DCA, and also flew it when it turned into Trump Airlines for a few years.
Setting politics aside, I remember that you could walk right up to a kiosk near the gate, get a ticket and get on the plane. The Trump shuttle had good food and beer (Sam Adams, as I recall, when that would have been unusual on a plane). They had a very generous FF program as well, and I got a lot of free tickets out of it for flying just once a month or so.
Personally, I think adding a Centurion lounge at DCA will be great, but possibly very crowded.
You’ll be pleased to know that Delta still does this! They have a special Shuttle counter where you can walk up to a kiosk, purchase a ticket, and head right through security!
My special memory from DCA was early/mid-90’s. I thin it was ’94. Ran into Larry King as I was stepping off an escalator, on my way over to the pedestrian bridge that connects to the Metro station. I can’t remember if he was arriving or departing on the Delta Shuttle (NYC?) He was very kind and took a couple of minutes for small-talk before continuing on his way.
Great photos of my favorite airport!
Well, that shows I haven’t flown the shuttle in a long time. Though I would also add that pre-9/11, security screening was minimal and much quicker. You didn’t even think about it. Back then, I was mainly going NYC upper east to downtown DC and back, where LGA/DCA made a lot of sense, time-wise. Since then, I have been traveling more DC to midtown NYC, where the Acela makes the most sense (and it is easy to get upgraded to first class).
Yep – National is easily the best airport in this country. Love the old terminal and also the new. From curb to gate in 5-7 minutes, walking at normal speed, and with pre-check. (Not exaggerating.)
United lounge is majestic, imho. Great view of the tarmac from there as well.
it’s a true shame that they stuff all the discounters into A terminal. It’s a calamitous experience to fly outta A term, which itself is steeped in history. I still like to run my rollaboard up the curved walls as I am walking out of A terminal. (I’m 53, you’re never too old!)
Anybody remember Presidential Airlines? That was one of my earliest flight experiences. They likely boarded out of the “temporary” terminal (which was, indeed, a hot mess – and a long-lives one as well.)