Dulles International Airport is one step closer to a new, 14-gate concourse that will replace the regional gate portion of Concourse A. That’s according to financing plans presented to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s Board of Directors on Wednesday.
The project would be nearly $675 million, but it doesn’t account for any cost increases due to inflation.
Plans for the new concourse are meant to support future growth, and it will be nearly four times larger than the current structure. The current Concourse A was built in 1999 as a temporary structure. Decades later, it isn’t keeping up with current demand, and there’s concern about the future, according to materials presented to the board.
State-of-the-art amenities are part of the plan, as well as an airline lounge, concessions, restrooms, offices and areas to service aircraft. The structure will also meet environmentally friendly standards.
The authority is looking at bond financing or another funding source to pay for the new concourse— including accessing money obtained from selling 424 acres of land next to Dulles known as Western Lands, according to The Washington Post. It also states that the concourse could open as soon as 2026.
MWAA is pursuing grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law including an application already submitted, seeking $230 million from the BIL’s Airport Terminal Program competitive grant.
DCist reported that United Airlines, the largest carrier serving Dulles, would be the main tenant of the new concourse.
An MWAA spokesperson said while the board approved the plan to finance this project, it’s the first of many steps before the design or construction phases will start.