Dulles International Airport, Washington DC

Dulles Airport is 26 miles (42k) from downtown Washington DC. It opened in 1962 and is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State under President Eisenhower. It was designed by Eero Saarinen. The original terminal building was 600 feet (180m) in length. In 1996 it was extended to 1240 feet (380m), which was Saarinen’s original design length.

I was based here when I first started flying in January 1986. Although it was the International Airport for DC, the domestic operation was pretty small here compared to the downtown National Airport (now Reagan Airport), and this front terminal building was pretty much all there was, in its shorter version. However, there were huge expansion plans which started in May of 1986 which is why so many of us were sent here out of training that year. The growth has continued at a rapid pace over the last 30+ years and there’s far more to this Airport than what you can see from this view!

It’s not a great picture - taken behind the window of the van as we were being transported to the airport from downtown. But I always love this view and it’s even prettier this time of year with the sun setting just as we arrive, and the holiday lights shining out of the windows. A beautiful view of the inside of the building was taken by this fellow-blipper.