Air

A flight to D.C. from New York takes a little less than an hour. It's about 1½ hours from Chicago, 3 hours from Denver or Dallas, and 5 hours from San Francisco. Passengers flying from London should expect a trip of about 6 hours. From Sydney it's an 18-hour flight. Most major airlines fly into one of D.C.'s three major airports, but only Dulles and Baltimore airports are served by international carriers (DCA services some flights to and from Canada and the Caribbean).

Airports

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is in Virginia, 4 miles south of Downtown Washington.

Dulles International Airport (IAD) is in Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington, D.C.

Baltimore/Washington International–Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in Maryland, about 30 miles to the northeast.

Reagan National Airport is closest to Downtown D.C. and has a Metro stop connected to the terminal. East Coast shuttles and shorter flights tend to fly in and out of this airport. Dulles is configured primarily for long-haul flights, although as a United hub, it's also well-connected regionally. BWI offers blended service, with its many gates for Southwest Airlines, as well as international flights. Although Metro trains don't serve Dulles (expected 2021) or BWI, there is affordable and convenient public transportation to and from each airport. Be aware that the Mid-Atlantic region is prone to quirky weather that can snarl air traffic, especially on stormy summer afternoons.

Airport Transfers

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, located across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, is the only regional airport reachable by the District's Metro system, a ride that takes about 20 minutes and costs between $2.25 and $6 (you must pay with a plastic SmarTrip card, available from machines in all stations). The Metro station is within easy walking distance of Terminals B and C, and a free airport bus shuttles between the station and Terminal A. Driving typically takes longer than the Metro (about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic and where you start). A taxi will cost between $15 and $25 to Downtown, plus a $3 airport surcharge. Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft are allowed to pick up on the arrivals level.

Dulles International Airport is 25 miles west of Downtown; the ride takes 45 minutes but can be considerably longer when traffic is heavy. Public transit will typically take an hour or more. Take the Metro's Silver Line to the Wiehle–Reston East station (6 am to 10:20 pm); the 15-minute Silver Line Express bus ride from the station to the airport (every 15 to 20 minutes) is $5, payable with cash or credit card at the ticket counter in the Arrivals area. (The Silver Line extension directly to IAD is expected to be completed in 2021.) The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) operates express bus service between Dulles and several stops in Downtown D.C., including the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station and Rosslyn Metro station in Arlington, Virginia, for $7.50 (every hour between 6:35 am and 10:10 pm); exact fare or a SmarTrip card is required. Taxi fare to Washington, D.C., from Dulles is about $55 to $65 plus tip, depending on traffic, and takes about 45 minutes. Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft are allowed to pick up at the arrivals level.

Baltimore/Washington International–Thurgood Marshall Airport is about 30 miles northeast of Downtown; the ride takes 50 to 60 minutes but can be considerably longer when traffic is heavy. Both Amtrak and Maryland Rail Commuter Service (MARC) trains run between BWI and Washington, D.C.'s, Union Station from around 4:30 am to 10 pm; the ride takes 30 minutes and costs between $15 and $45 on Amtrak, $7 on MARC’s Penn Line. A free shuttle bus connects the airline terminals and the train station (which is in a distant parking lot). WMATA operates express bus service (Bus No. B30) between BWI and the Greenbelt Metro station from approximately 7 am to 10 pm on weekdays for $7.50. The taxi fare from Downtown to BWI is about $90 plus tip. Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft are allowed to pick up at the arrivals level.