How do I get to DCA tomorrow

[Anonymous]

I have a flight that departs DCA at 2:25. Coming from the Bethesda area. Several miles of the GW parkway is closed and there’s no way I’m going through the district. How much earlier should I plan on getting to the airport and any suggestions on how I get there. Metro isn’t an option as I have a bunch of luggage.

[Anonymous]

I say this as someone who usually aims to get to the airport 60 mins before a flight and am often not there until 50 mins before (takeoff, not boarding time).

I would plan to be there by 10am. There is SO MUCH that can go wrong with your transit, there may be increased security, etc. I wouldn’t mess around tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Pare down your luggage and take metro. Why do you have a bunch?

[Anonymous]

Take your luggage on the Metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who usually aims to get to the airport 60 mins before a flight and am often not there until 50 mins before (takeoff, not boarding time).

I would plan to be there by 10am. There is SO MUCH that can go wrong with your transit, there may be increased security, etc. I wouldn’t mess around tomorrow.

Saturday is by the quietest day at DCA. OP will be sitting around for 4 hours with this advice. I agree it will probably take longer than normal and OP may have to cross the river on the beltway and maybe come in on 66 and then snake around the Pentagon, but this is over the top.

OP, just pull up Waze at say 11 AM and see how long it is taking to drive to DCA. I am willing to bet it will be 10 minutes longer than normal because of the redirections. Regular people will not be anywhere near the central part of the area tomorrow, most roads will be quieter than normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take your luggage on the Metro.

Wild, isn't it, that a supposedly "urban" dweller would need to ask

[Anonymous]

Take metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who usually aims to get to the airport 60 mins before a flight and am often not there until 50 mins before (takeoff, not boarding time).

I would plan to be there by 10am. There is SO MUCH that can go wrong with your transit, there may be increased security, etc. I wouldn’t mess around tomorrow.

Saturday is by the quietest day at DCA. OP will be sitting around for 4 hours with this advice. I agree it will probably take longer than normal and OP may have to cross the river on the beltway and maybe come in on 66 and then snake around the Pentagon, but this is over the top.

OP, just pull up Waze at say 11 AM and see how long it is taking to drive to DCA. I am willing to bet it will be 10 minutes longer than normal because of the redirections. Regular people will not be anywhere near the central part of the area tomorrow, most roads will be quieter than normal.

Do not listen to this person. They are wildly incorrect with their assumptions about tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who usually aims to get to the airport 60 mins before a flight and am often not there until 50 mins before (takeoff, not boarding time).

I would plan to be there by 10am. There is SO MUCH that can go wrong with your transit, there may be increased security, etc. I wouldn’t mess around tomorrow.

Saturday is by the quietest day at DCA. OP will be sitting around for 4 hours with this advice. I agree it will probably take longer than normal and OP may have to cross the river on the beltway and maybe come in on 66 and then snake around the Pentagon, but this is over the top.

OP, just pull up Waze at say 11 AM and see how long it is taking to drive to DCA. I am willing to bet it will be 10 minutes longer than normal because of the redirections. Regular people will not be anywhere near the central part of the area tomorrow, most roads will be quieter than normal.

Do not listen to this person. They are wildly incorrect with their assumptions about tomorrow.

Right now Google Maps says 40 minutes drive from downtown Bethesda to DCA Terminal 2. I will check at 11 AM tomorrow, and will post back here, and take my blows if it's more than an hour. If I had the ability, I would easily bet $5k at even odds it will.be under an hour.

[Anonymous]

Go around the Beltway to the toll road (267) to 66. Then take Glebe Road through Arlington to the airport. It's a lot longer with lots of lights but none of these roads risk being closed down. I would give yourself an hour just to get there just to be safe and I'm normally a person who gets to the airport at the last minute.

I despise metro but it honestly may be the best option tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

I would do METRO, and leave early, since transferring trains might be horrible. If you have to take a lot of luggage, can you recruit a friend or pay a teen to help you?

[Anonymous]

What do you have to lose with being a few hours early? Just hang out in a lounge if you ended up being very early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who usually aims to get to the airport 60 mins before a flight and am often not there until 50 mins before (takeoff, not boarding time).

I would plan to be there by 10am. There is SO MUCH that can go wrong with your transit, there may be increased security, etc. I wouldn’t mess around tomorrow.

Saturday is by the quietest day at DCA. OP will be sitting around for 4 hours with this advice. I agree it will probably take longer than normal and OP may have to cross the river on the beltway and maybe come in on 66 and then snake around the Pentagon, but this is over the top.

OP, just pull up Waze at say 11 AM and see how long it is taking to drive to DCA. I am willing to bet it will be 10 minutes longer than normal because of the redirections. Regular people will not be anywhere near the central part of the area tomorrow, most roads will be quieter than normal.

Do not listen to this person. They are wildly incorrect with their assumptions about tomorrow.

Right now Google Maps says 40 minutes drive from downtown Bethesda to DCA Terminal 2. I will check at 11 AM tomorrow, and will post back here, and take my blows if it's more than an hour. If I had the ability, I would easily bet $5k at even odds it will.be under an hour.

And you’re absolutely positively sure that Google Maps is taking the parade and the military celebrations into account, as well as the as-yet uncounted numbers of people who may be unfamiliar with area roads in making this estimate? If so, hats off to Google Maps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pare down your luggage and take metro. Why do you have a bunch?

This. DCA on any random day is best accessed by metro. On this day, it's the only way. Bring a friend to help you tote it if you have to. Or buy a cart that lets you carry it more easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who usually aims to get to the airport 60 mins before a flight and am often not there until 50 mins before (takeoff, not boarding time).

I would plan to be there by 10am. There is SO MUCH that can go wrong with your transit, there may be increased security, etc. I wouldn’t mess around tomorrow.

Saturday is by the quietest day at DCA. OP will be sitting around for 4 hours with this advice. I agree it will probably take longer than normal and OP may have to cross the river on the beltway and maybe come in on 66 and then snake around the Pentagon, but this is over the top.

OP, just pull up Waze at say 11 AM and see how long it is taking to drive to DCA. I am willing to bet it will be 10 minutes longer than normal because of the redirections. Regular people will not be anywhere near the central part of the area tomorrow, most roads will be quieter than normal.

Do not listen to this person. They are wildly incorrect with their assumptions about tomorrow.

Right now Google Maps says 40 minutes drive from downtown Bethesda to DCA Terminal 2. I will check at 11 AM tomorrow, and will post back here, and take my blows if it's more than an hour. If I had the ability, I would easily bet $5k at even odds it will.be under an hour.

And you’re absolutely positively sure that Google Maps is taking the parade and the military celebrations into account, as well as the as-yet uncounted numbers of people who may be unfamiliar with area roads in making this estimate? If so, hats off to Google Maps.

They use live data from actual travelers, so yes.