US President Donald Trump unveiled a plan to rebuild Washington Dulles International Airport, announcing the proposal at the White House with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby present.
The cost of the plan is reported as $22 billion, though some sources put the figure at $22.5 billion or $20 billion. The project will be funded through municipal bonds and by the airport authority and airlines. United Airlines, which accounts for about 70% of flights at Dulles, is helping finance the plan.
The plan includes replacing the C and D concourses, adding a large parking garage with space for 32,000 vehicles, and replacing the mobile lounges with an underground aerotrain. The existing mobile lounges, 19 in number, each carry up to 102 passengers and were designed by Chrysler Corp. A crash in November injured 18 people, according to one report, or 8, according to another.
The design includes large glass windows and gold accents, such as gold-mirrored ceilings. The main terminal's sloped roof by Eero Saarinen will be preserved, and the parking lot will be moved closer to the main terminal. The plan includes 5 million square feet of new or renovated airport space.
Record passenger traffic at Dulles in 2025
Trump personally reviewed 3D models from contractors at the White House. Companies that pitched designs include HNTB, STV Group, Jacobs, Ferrovial, and AECOM. Rejected proposals include Ferrovial's plan to replace the main terminal and Jacobs' proposal with a high passenger bridge between terminals.
The project requires some congressional approval, and construction is hoped to start next spring. The airport authority had already approved a separate $7 billion capital plan for Dulles. The plan will not impact the airport's runways.
Trump called Dulles a 'terrible airport' in December and said it 'needs to be redesigned.' A plan to name the main terminal the 'Donald J. Trump Terminal' was considered but unclear if final. Trump said the renovation is part of a broader effort to modernize US aviation infrastructure.