In Washington D.C. Dulles airport serves millions of passengers each year. With its many domestic and international flights, Dulles International Airport (IAD) is a popular option for traveling to and from the metro Washington D.C. area.
Here are some fun facts about Washington D.C. Dulles airport:
1. Dulles is located 26 miles west of Washington D.C. and is about a 30-minute drive from the city.
2. The location was selected by President Eisenhower in 1958 and the airport was dedicated by President Kennedy in 1962.
3. Dulles was the first U.S. airport designed to accommodate commercial jets.
4. The airport was named for John Foster Dulles, who served as U.S. Secretary of State from 1953 to 1959.
5. When the airport opened in 1962, one unique feature was the special “mobile lounges” used to carry passengers from the terminal to aircraft a quarter of a mile away. The mobile lounges were 17.5 feet high and could transport 102 passengers.
6. Today, Dulles has 19 mobile lounges plus 30 similar “plane mates” that attach directly to planes, protecting passengers from the weather.
7. The airport has 139 gates and serves 36 airline carriers from around the world.
8. Dulles has state-of-the-art security checkpoints that reduce wait times for travellers.
9. The airport has almost 100 retail stores and restaurants, and Concourse B has 13,000 square feet of retail space.
10. In addition to art and photography exhibits, Dulles periodically offers live performances by musicians, singers, and dancers. (View an events schedule here.)
11. The airport property covers 11,830 acres and includes 198 lane miles of roads.
12. Dulles had 52,846 travellers during its first year of operation in 1962. In 2014 it served nearly 21.6 million passengers.
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