Washington Dulles International Airport: Difference between revisions

atcunicom=122.95}}

Dulles International is one of three major airports serving the Washington D.C. area (the other two being [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA/KDCA)]] and [[Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI/KBWI)]]).  It is by far the largest of the three, and serves as the main international gateway for the U.S. capital city.  The airport serves as an international hub for United, and, until the airline went out of business, also served as the hub for ill-fated Independence Air.  The airfield has three main runways: 1L/19R, 1R/19L, and 12/30.

The observation and viewing tower at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center provides fairly decent views of aircraft approaching the 1's, and deparing the 19's, as the tower sits between the approach paths of the 1's.   

This place is good ONLY to view airplanes on approach.  

I wouldn't recommend this location at all. You can get much better shots of arriving airplanes from the parking lot in front of the museum.

The parking lot for the Udvar-Hazy Center is considered by many to be better than the observation tower itself, especially for 1R landings.  From the entrance to the parking lot, proceed past the museum and park at the far end of the lot.  Other spots may have more trees to contend with.  Parking is $12/day; museum admission itself is free.  Restrooms and food are available in the museum.

Avoid Signature Flight Support and Piedmont-Hawthorne.  Both are very strict about security and do not like anyone except customers.  This includes parking or even standing in their lots.

*'''American Airlines''': American has a large number of daily flights from its hubs.  Several aircraft are used, including the 737-800s, and MD-80s.

**'''American Eagle''': American Eagle operates many flights using the ERJ-135/140/145.

**'''Continental Express''': Operates ERJ-145s and -145XR.

*'''Delta Air Lines''': Delta is using MD-88s, 737-800, 757-200. 

**'''Delta Connection''': CRJ-100/200s and sometimes CRJ-700s

*'''JetBlue Airways''': JetBlue operates both A320s and Embraer 190s.

*'''Northwest Airlines''': Northwest operates A319 A320.

*'''Northwest Airlink''': CRJ-200s.

*'''Southwest Airlines''': Southwest is using 737-300/700.

*'''Sun Country Airlines''': Sun Country operates one daily 737-800.

*'''United Airlines''': United has a hub at Dulles and operates many flights daily using several aircraft.  This includes the 737-300, 737-500, 747-400, 757-200, 767-300, 777-200, A319, and A320, in both new and old liveries.   

**'''United Express''': CRJ-200, CRJ-700, Saab 340, ERJ-145, EMB-170.

*'''US Airways''': A319, A320, B737-300/400.

**'''US Airways Express''': Beech 1900, Saab 340, CRJ200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900.

*'''Aeroflot''': Operates a 767-300.

*'''Air France''':  777-200.

*'''ANA''': Operates a 777-300.

*'''Austrian Airways''': Operates an B767-300 but switching to B777-200 in Summer 2007.

*'''British Airways''': 777-200, 747-400.

*'''Ethiopian''': Operates a 767-300.

*'''Iberia''': A340-300

*'''KLM''': Daily flight from Amsterdam using an A330-200.

*'''Korean Air''': Operates a 747-400.

*'''Lufthansa''': B747-400.  

*'''Qatar Airways''': A340-600

*'''Saudi Arabian Airlines''': Operates a 747-400.  

*'''SAS''': Daily flight from Copenhagen using an A330-300.

*'''Virgin Atlantic Airways''': Operates an A340-300, A340-600

*'''FedEx''': Operates the 727-200, A300, A310, DC-10.

*'''UPS''': DC-8, B757, A300.