Plans for a new 14-gate jet concourse at Dulles International Airport will move forward now that the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority awarded a contract to Clark Construction.
The project is estimated to cost between $500 million and $800 million, with completion expected in 2026, according to the airports authority. The Federal Aviation Administration gave the project a $49.6 million grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law last July.
The 400,000-square-foot Tier-2 Concourse (East) will be above the current underground Concourse C/D, and will be nearly four times larger than the current Dulles facility. The concourse will replace gates built in the 1990s where regional-flight passengers go outdoors to access planes.
The project will include 14 indoor gates, an airline lounge, concessions, restrooms, and offices, and operational areas for servicing aircraft, handling baggage and other airport and airline functions, says Robert Yingling, spokesman for MWAA.
The “continuing growth” of the airport makes building the concourse a high priority, Yingling says.
Clark Construction, awarded the contract January 18, will design and build the new concourse to LEED Silver Certifiable standards. The energy-efficient construction will feature LED lighting, high R-value insulation, and high-efficiency climate control systems.
Yingling says sustainability and environmental performance will be key priorities. Electric vehicles will be used to service aircraft and carry passengers, while the electric Aerotrain will be used more frequently to move passengers to and from the new gates.
United Airlines, the largest carrier at Dulles, will determine how the gates are used, Yingling says. The gates will accommodate a wide range of planes, Yingling says.
MWAA, which also operates Reagan National Airport, opened a 14-gate concourse for regional flights at Reagan National in 2021.
Last September, Dulles topped Reagan National and Baltimore-Washington International in a study of 27 large North American airports. Dulles was ranked No. 11, BWI No. 14, and Reagan National No. 17.
Feature image courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
For more news stories, subscribe to our News newsletter.
