If you’re not from DC, you’re generally used to have one airport to choose from. Chicago, New York, LA, and San Francisco being obvious exceptions. But if you use the “search nearby” airports function, you’ll get three options, and if you’re not from here, how are you to know?
1. Reagan National (DCA) – south central
Always your first choice, even if it’s $50 more for the ticket. Why $50? A SuperShuttle from Dulles or Baltimore costs at least $26 each way ($52), without tip; a taxi is $60+ each way. Walk out of the gate, get your luggage, and hop on the Metro (yellow line) for a 10 minute ride downtown (not the blue; unless it’s cold/hot outside, then you can take it 1 stop to Crystal City’s underground station and wait for the yellow). Reagan’s weakpoint is international or non-stop cross country trips though. On your way to Reagan, get on the front of the Metro train, where the exit is located at Reagan.
2. Dulles (IAD) – west
Your default choice for international or non-stop West Coast trips if nothing reasonable pops up at Reagan (unless you fly United or Southwest out of Baltimore), otherwise avoid it (unless you live out there of course). The winter cancellation debacle not-withstanding, Jet Blue’s non-stops to California are the best (more legroom, your own TV, and free snacks). But Dulles is about 200 miles west of DC and you can’t walk to the C or D terminals (ride the Star Wars transporters, which usually involve a wait; just walk to the A and B terminals)…Seriously, it’s 45 minutes without traffic and the metro won’t get there until 2015. They advertise the private “Washington Flyer” bus from Great Falls Metro stop on the orange line, which is no bargain ($9 one-way, $16 round-trip) and still leaves you 10 stops to downtown – what a deal. SuperShuttle is a minimum of $50. But here’s a secret – take the 5A metro bus to/from Le’Enfant Plaza. Cheap, with only 2 stops, all the way to downtown. Another idea if you’re from DC and only taking a weekend trip? Drive and park for $9/day – 3 days is still cheaper (and more convenient) than SuperShuttle.
3. Baltimore (BWI) – northeast
United and Southwest fly here but unless you’re going to the northeast side of the metro (it’s closer than Dulles for me), not your first choice. SuperShuttle is $25 to the northeast side, and more to downtown (1+ hour without traffic). The MARC train schedule to DC is spotty outside of weekday rushhours, so take the B30 bus to Greenbelt on the DC green line instead (which actually runs more frequently and is cheaper than the Dulles Washington Flyer).
And in general, if there is a trace or a threat or the thought of snow, it all shuts down. I’m nearly certain that the Minneapolis airport has fewer cancelled flights. Get on the phone and reschedule, and when they tell you that they don’t have anything, insist that they check other airlines – they’ll rebook you for free (but will never suggest it to you directly).
Other ideas/thoughts?
