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Dulles Airport Background.....
Located 25 miles west from downtown D.C. in Northern Virginia, Washington Dulles International Airport flies over 23 million people to 125 non-stop locations worldwide each year. Three separate concourses can be accessed by underground trains, moving sidewalks, or the above ground shuttle. Constantly expanding, Dulles added two new security mezzanines, a fourth runway, and an underground AeroTrain shuttle system within the past three years.
A Metro line to D.C. opening in 2017 will make Dulles the most convenient and largest airport in the D.C./Baltimore area. The surrounding area is home to many corporate offices and headquarters making Dulles a perfect place to fly in for business. Dulles is known as an international hub, passing six million travelers and over 440 thousand pounds of freight and mail through customs in 2010.
Car Rentals at the Dulles Airport.....
The Dulles International Airport offers many choices when it comes to renting a car. You have Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. These are solid companies that aim to please. If you run into trouble, and occasionally that does happen, give them a call. Almost always, they will fix the problem, one way or another.
Other Airport Amenities.....
Food opportunities are fairly straightforward with burritos at Chipotle, fast food at Wendy’s, or dessert at Cinnabon (pic below) or Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. There are ten sit-down eateries to sit back and relax with something a little more than the usual fare. Book and news stores can be found on every concourse selling magazines, snacks, sodas, or any other small traveling connivence.
Washington Dulles International Airport is situated next to The Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum and will make for a perfect afternoon if you find yourself in the Dulles area for a day or two. The free museum features an IMAX Theater, flight simulators, a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the Enola Gay, and the space shuttle Enterprise. In addition, the Observation Tower provides an excellent view of the air traffic from the airport.
With more destinations than any airports within hundreds of miles of Dulles, this airport might be your only option in air travel. The sheer volume of fellow passengers a day will make it hard to be dropped off and will prolong security checks on busy travel days. 139 gates make Dulles a daunting airport to traverse, but with many information stands, it will be easier than thought to find your way. Dulles is expanding each year and strives to service passengers as efficiently and comfortably as possible.
Directions out of the Dulles Airport.....
After leaving the airport on the Dulles Access road, you will have options, depending on which way you would like to travel. To the North and South, you will have State Road 28. To the north, 28 will feed into Highway 7 and to the South, it will feed into Route 66 in about 15 miles. Route 66 will eventually feed into Washington D. C. in after merging into 66, in about 8 miles. Total distance from the Dulles Airport to the Potomac River (which you cross to get to D.C.) is about 23 Miles.
Other car rental distances from the Dulles airport include:
Airport to Manassas National Battlefield Park, 17 Miles.
Airport to Manasses Town, 17 Miles.
Airport to Leesburg, 15 Miles.
Airport to Tamarack Park, 9 Miles.
Airport to Wolf Trap, 8 Miles
Airport to Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Park, 9 Miles
Airport to Tyson's Corner, 13 Miles.
Airport to Arlington, 21 Miles.
Airport to Fairfax, 14 Miles.
Remember, these are estimates. You should consider renting a GPS when you reserve your car, if you need exact distances and directions.
Car Rental Types Available.....
Economy Cars, Standards, Full-size, Compact, Luxury Cars, SUV's, and even Minivans are generally available from the Dulles Airport. It's always recommended to pre-book to make sure that the type of car is available for the time frame that you will be traveling.