Whether you travel by airline for business or pleasure, one of the worst feelings is seeing that your flight has been delayed or canceled. Why can’t travel be as reliable as you are?
Logistical certainty is important for everyone, and that’s an area where Loudoun’s Dulles International Airport shines. According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Dulles is the fifth-most reliable airport in the nation for on-time departures.
With an on-time departure percentage rate of 81.22 percent, it is also the most reliable airport not just in the region, but anywhere east of the Mississippi River.
Here’s what that means for travelers, courtesy of Adam Tuss from NBC Washington (H/T @markastrat):
We all have a favorite local airport – but one is outpacing the others when it comes to on-time departures @nbcwashington #fly #flights ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/BTXeQSgXHI
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) September 24, 2019
Here are three important reasons why Dulles is so reliable for travelers:
- It has four runways to accommodate a steady stream of departures and arrivals. By comparison, London Heathrow, which is one of the busiest airports in the world, has only two runways, giving Dulles twice the scheduling capacity.
Dulles sits on a massive property and has the ability to extend runways in a strategic manner. Several of the runways have the capacity to handle Airbus A380 flights, the largest commercial planes in the world, capable of carrying more than 500 passengers on the double-deck aircraft.- Dulles has a rarity in the region: an East-West runway. This allows more safe departures in inclement weather that might affect the typical North-South aligned runways. For this reason, VIP flights, including Air Force One and other foreign heads of state, will divert through Dulles as needed.
Moving forward, a fifth runway that also runs East-West is under consideration. All of this is possible at an airport that has more room for growth than any other on the East Coast.
Dulles International Airport and the region’s travelers will also benefit from the arrival of D.C. Metrorail in 2020, as the Silver Line extension completes its final phase. This will make international departures from the D.C. region as easy as stepping on a commuter train, whether in Northern Virginia, D.C. or Maryland.
Dulles is one of four stations serving Loudoun County development opportunities. To learn more about the greenfield opportunities around Dulles International Airport and Metro, please email Colleen Kardasz or call 1-800-LOUDOUN.
