Dulles Airport Board to Vote on $19.9 Billion Modernization Plan
The board overseeing Washington Dulles airport will vote on a $19.9 billion overhaul, including terminal reconstruction and new tunnels.
The board that oversees Washington Dulles International Airport is set to vote Wednesday on a $19.9 billion overhaul plan, a sweeping modernization effort that includes a major rebuild of the main terminal and the replacement of the airport's aging 'People Mover' transit system.
The proposal allocates $3.75 billion for new underground tunnels, which would replace the slow vehicles currently used to ferry passengers across the tarmac. Construction on these tunnels is slated to begin in early 2029, with the aim of extending service to a new concourse.
A significant portion of the plan, $6.2 billion, is earmarked for the reconstruction of the main terminal, a project expected to start in late 2027. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which released a summary of the tentative plan on Monday, noted that construction on one of the new planned concourses would not be completed until at least 2039.
The overall project, which President Donald Trump announced last month at a cost of $22 billion, is one of the largest airport overhauls ever proposed in the United States. The $19.9 billion figure up for vote does not include a massive new parking garage and transportation center. Of the total cost, $4.4 billion had already been approved previously.
The plan encompasses 5 million square feet of new or renovated airport space and will be largely funded through municipal bonds. Some observers have raised questions about the potential impact on flight costs.
Dulles, which opened in 1962 and is located about 25 miles from the U.S. capital, was the fastest-growing large U.S. airport last year by passenger traffic. It handled a record 29 million passengers in 2025, a 6.4% increase. This fall, the airport is set to open a new 435,000-square-foot, 14-gate concourse serving United customers.
The airport's terminal building, designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, is known for its distinctive sloping roof. The project is the latest in a series of major construction efforts in the Washington area.