Dulles airport transformation set at more than $20 billion as United, airports authority and DOT unveil long-term overhaul

Washington Dulles International Airport is moving ahead with a $22.5 billion modernization plan that President Donald Trump showcased at the White House, adding detail to a long-term overhaul already outlined by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, United Airlines and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The phased project is expected to unfold over eight to 10 years and is aimed at remaking the airport while preserving Eero Saarinen’s main terminal. The program expands on previously announced plans for more than 5 million square feet of new or renovated space and a broad redesign of the passenger experience from curb to gate. Planned upgrades include expanded parking and check-in facilities, modernized concourses, replacement of United’s temporary C and D concourses built in 1985, additional concessions and lounges, and improved customs, baggage and security areas. A new tunnel and expanded AeroTrain access are intended to improve circulation and eliminate Dulles’ long-used mobile lounges, one of the airport’s most criticized features. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the project would be financed largely through bonds issued via the airports authority, with participating airlines including United covering part of the cost. Trump said the plan was largely financed but could still require some approvals from Congress. The renovation builds on a December 2025 Transportation Department request for information that drew more than 30 proposals and on capital work already underway, including Concourse E, which is slated to open later this year with 14 new United gates and direct AeroTrain access.