Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA: IAD, ICAO: KIAD) is a major international airport serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, located approximately 26 miles west of downtown Washington in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, Virginia . The airport is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which also manages Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) .
Dulles opened for service on November 17, 1962, dedicated by President John F. Kennedy, and was named after John Foster Dulles, the late Secretary of State . The airport was designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, whose iconic main terminal is celebrated for its soaring, wing-like roof that evokes the sensation of flight . Dulles was the first airport in the world designed specifically for jet aircraft and pioneered the use of Mobile Lounges to transport passengers between the terminal and aircraft .
IAD is a major hub for United Airlines and serves as the primary international gateway to the U.S. capital. The airport offers nonstop service to approximately 160 destinations across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America, and Africa . In 2024, Dulles served 27.3 million total passengers, including a record 10.4 million international travelers, an 11.8% increase over 2023 .
The airport features a Main Terminal and four concourses (A, B, C, and D), with 97 passenger gates and total terminal space of approximately 3.7 million square feet . Dulles is connected to downtown Washington via the Metrorail Silver Line, which opened at the airport in November 2022 .