The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) announced in late February that just over 27.25 million passengers traveled through the airport in 2024, marking an increase of more than 8% from the previous year. This surpasses the prior record of just over 27 million passengers set in 2005 during when low-cost airline Independence Air was operating at Dulles.
According to MWAA data, this record was achieved despite a decline in aircraft movements by over \[2,000\] in \[2024\] compared to \[2023\]. While domestic traffic increased by \[6.7%\], it was international traffic using widebody aircraft that drove significant growth, rising by \[11%\] year-over-year to \[11\] million international travelers. United Airlines played a pivotal role in this growth.
United leads the way at IAD
United Airlines operates \[68%\] of flights at Dulles, making it the dominant carrier despite American Airlines' dominance at DCA (\[53%\] share) and Southwest Airlines' substantial operations at BWI. United expanded its operations by \[18%\] last year through upgrading existing routes with new Airbus A321s and Boeing \[787s\], replacing older aircraft, and launching \[13\] new domestic routes including Anchorage, Mobile, Palm Springs, and Salt Lake City.
New airlines and new routes
Several other airlines contributed to setting new records at Dulles. Breeze Airways opened its first routes while Frontier Airlines expanded theirs; new international services from Aeromexico and Swiss International Air Lines were also introduced.
The daily service from Swiss to Zurich doubles capacity on this route as United already operates a daily service using a Boeing \[767-300ER\].
\[2025\] is looking solid as well
Early into \[2025\], several new airlines and routes have been confirmed. Royal Jordanian Airlines will launch a twice-weekly service from Amman using its \[787-8s\], while regional carrier Contour Airlines will open routes to Macon and Plattsburgh. Frontier plans additional routes including Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, and San Juan.
Dulles is expanding to handle growth
The current terminal complex consists of three buildings including the iconic Main Terminal designed by Eero Saarinen which houses ticketing on the upper level and baggage claim below along with US Customs facilities.
Most aircraft traffic occurs at two parallel midfield terminal buildings: Concourses A/B and C/D constructed during the \[1980s\]. With record passenger growth outpacing capacity limits construction is underway on Concourse E - a -square-foot building featuring fourteen gates specifically designed for wide- body fleets operated primarily by United Airlines representing a $700 million investment enabled partly through collaboration between United MWAA local federal funding grants Bipartisan Infrastructure Law improvement projects Jack Potter CEO Metropolitan indicates latest step fruitful partnership "Washington key economic engine National Capital Region essential partner rapid ongoing expansion commitment long-term plans including flights destinations addition thousands jobs testament strength promoting regional pursuing mutual goal providing world-class service traveling public" Wait about other started saying there records set second different Transportation Security Administration officers broke detecting firearms single year Previous December X-ray unit security checkpoint discovered caliber handguns loaded bullets carry-on bag Man cited federal weapons charge firearms confiscated Scott Johnson federal director clear rules place transportation duty conform safety everybody else recent case concerning enough traveler shows pleads ignorance totally inexcusable toting around loaded broader trend increased interceptions down road Reagan National tied annual December officers found woman items firearm detected last Traveling Know allowed checked unloaded packed hard-sided locked case ammunition stored separately taken check-in counter checked Possessing outside carries civil penalty Fines start reach depending severity incident issue criminal referral law enforcement conduct investigation depending location lead severe punishment Offending enrolled PreCheck program immediately lose privileges planning familiarize rules transporting Related Flying Dos Don'ts seen increase number people's carry-on luggage
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