Why does Concourse D at Dulles (United) only have the "Mobile Lounges"?

[Anonymous]

When every other concourse has the train?

Is there some backstory there?

[Anonymous]

It’ll eventually be torn down. Just like the C concourse, it is “temporary.”

You can take the air train to C and walk to D. But often the moon buggy is faster with less walking, even if you are going to the C concourse.

[Anonymous]

The second phase of the train was too expensive.

[Anonymous]

The new E concourse under construction now, along with a future F concourse, will replace both C and D concourses. There will be an airport subway under the new F once it is built. C and D will be demolished after E and F are opened.

To be honest, the AirTrain is not really faster than the moon buggies were. It is fastest to walk from Main to B concourse underground, but for some reason MWAA makes that underground walkway to B very difficult to find.

[Anonymous]

There's probably already a thread on here. Did you search?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The new E concourse under construction now, along with a future F concourse, will replace both C and D concourses. There will be an airport subway under the new F once it is built. C and D will be demolished after E and F are opened.

To be honest, the AirTrain is not really faster than the moon buggies were. It is fastest to walk from Main to B concourse underground, but for some reason MWAA makes that underground walkway to B very difficult to find.

But what has taken so long? I’ve been hearing about “new concourses” since I moved here in 2007. Articles about E concourse seem to gloss over that part. If anything Dulles has lost flights since we’ve lived here. We used to use it more and now find ourselves nearly always at DCA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new E concourse under construction now, along with a future F concourse, will replace both C and D concourses. There will be an airport subway under the new F once it is built. C and D will be demolished after E and F are opened.

To be honest, the AirTrain is not really faster than the moon buggies were. It is fastest to walk from Main to B concourse underground, but for some reason MWAA makes that underground walkway to B very difficult to find.

But what has taken so long? I’ve been hearing about “new concourses” since I moved here in 2007. Articles about E concourse seem to gloss over that part. If anything Dulles has lost flights since we’ve lived here. We used to use it more and now find ourselves nearly always at DCA.

Yes-demand dropped at Dulles as DCA got more flights. It's picking up now, which means United is more willing to.make the investment in the new concourse. That's always been the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new E concourse under construction now, along with a future F concourse, will replace both C and D concourses. There will be an airport subway under the new F once it is built. C and D will be demolished after E and F are opened.

To be honest, the AirTrain is not really faster than the moon buggies were. It is fastest to walk from Main to B concourse underground, but for some reason MWAA makes that underground walkway to B very difficult to find.

But what has taken so long? I’ve been hearing about “new concourses” since I moved here in 2007. Articles about E concourse seem to gloss over that part. If anything Dulles has lost flights since we’ve lived here. We used to use it more and now find ourselves nearly always at DCA.

I head Dulles wanted United to pay for it and United wanted the opposite.

I have walked miles in IAD while getting to my gate, plus at least 5-6 escalators each time. It's insanity trying to reach D gates. I like the mobile lounges a lot, but I'm very sensitive to smells and the diesel gives me really bad headaches every time I ride them. Honestly a walking tunnel between all the gates would have been less walking than being forced to use the airtrain.

Dulles did the same thing with the metro entrance. They made it very far away and completely inconvenient. Not sure why an AIRPORT doesn't consider convenience to be #1

[Anonymous]

Weird. Dulles seems to really promote themselves on social media but Regan is more convenient in just about every way except maybe traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new E concourse under construction now, along with a future F concourse, will replace both C and D concourses. There will be an airport subway under the new F once it is built. C and D will be demolished after E and F are opened.

To be honest, the AirTrain is not really faster than the moon buggies were. It is fastest to walk from Main to B concourse underground, but for some reason MWAA makes that underground walkway to B very difficult to find.

But what has taken so long? I’ve been hearing about “new concourses” since I moved here in 2007. Articles about E concourse seem to gloss over that part. If anything Dulles has lost flights since we’ve lived here. We used to use it more and now find ourselves nearly always at DCA.

I head Dulles wanted United to pay for it and United wanted the opposite.

I have walked miles in IAD while getting to my gate, plus at least 5-6 escalators each time. It's insanity trying to reach D gates. I like the mobile lounges a lot, but I'm very sensitive to smells and the diesel gives me really bad headaches every time I ride them. Honestly a walking tunnel between all the gates would have been less walking than being forced to use the airtrain.

Dulles did the same thing with the metro entrance. They made it very far away and completely inconvenient. Not sure why an AIRPORT doesn't consider convenience to be #1

Re: the Metro location- that was basically a money saving decision- estimates were that it would be approximately $300 million more to go directly under the terminal. That was the original design, but as costs escalated (of course), they decided to put it above ground. It's a symptom of the general problem in the US that infrastructure projects, especially rail, are so costly and difficult to build. Rail in particular because we just don't have a strong enough industry with enough experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weird. Dulles seems to really promote themselves on social media but Regan is more convenient in just about every way except maybe traffic.

Dulles has the new security scanners where you don’t have to remove anything from your luggage (ie liquids, electronics) which is nice.

It should also be noted that the AeroTrain station was built for the future terminals E/F, not terminal C. That’s why they overshoot the terminal and it’s such a hike to get to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new E concourse under construction now, along with a future F concourse, will replace both C and D concourses. There will be an airport subway under the new F once it is built. C and D will be demolished after E and F are opened.

To be honest, the AirTrain is not really faster than the moon buggies were. It is fastest to walk from Main to B concourse underground, but for some reason MWAA makes that underground walkway to B very difficult to find.

But what has taken so long? I’ve been hearing about “new concourses” since I moved here in 2007. Articles about E concourse seem to gloss over that part. If anything Dulles has lost flights since we’ve lived here. We used to use it more and now find ourselves nearly always at DCA.

Yes-demand dropped at Dulles as DCA got more flights. It's picking up now, which means United is more willing to.make the investment in the new concourse. That's always been the issue.

Yep, Dulles just now surpassed their record passenger numbers from 2005! Demand was dropping for a long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weird. Dulles seems to really promote themselves on social media but Regan is more convenient in just about every way except maybe traffic.

Dulles has the new security scanners where you don’t have to remove anything from your luggage (ie liquids, electronics) which is nice.

It should also be noted that the AeroTrain station was built for the future terminals E/F, not terminal C. That’s why they overshoot the terminal and it’s such a hike to get to it.

That explains it! It is a huge hike. I think it’s just easier to go to D and walk over. Better food options in D too.

Also C is so narrow and not well equipped to handle hundreds of passengers at one gate. Which was the case when I flew to France last year. It was a mess

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weird. Dulles seems to really promote themselves on social media but Regan is more convenient in just about every way except maybe traffic.

Dulles has the new security scanners where you don’t have to remove anything from your luggage (ie liquids, electronics) which is nice.

It should also be noted that the AeroTrain station was built for the future terminals E/F, not terminal C. That’s why they overshoot the terminal and it’s such a hike to get to it.

Except the train opened in 2010 and Terminal E *might* open by the end of 2026. Terminal F who the hell even knows .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new E concourse under construction now, along with a future F concourse, will replace both C and D concourses. There will be an airport subway under the new F once it is built. C and D will be demolished after E and F are opened.

To be honest, the AirTrain is not really faster than the moon buggies were. It is fastest to walk from Main to B concourse underground, but for some reason MWAA makes that underground walkway to B very difficult to find.

But what has taken so long? I’ve been hearing about “new concourses” since I moved here in 2007. Articles about E concourse seem to gloss over that part. If anything Dulles has lost flights since we’ve lived here. We used to use it more and now find ourselves nearly always at DCA.

Yes-demand dropped at Dulles as DCA got more flights. It's picking up now, which means United is more willing to.make the investment in the new concourse. That's always been the issue.

Yep, Dulles just now surpassed their record passenger numbers from 2005! Demand was dropping for a long time.

Well you could hardly fly anywhere you wanted to go (except abroad) and when you could find the flight you wanted it close more so you had no choice but to use Regan. It’s a chicken/egg thing. And I live closer to Dulles!