US: Washington National Airport to start $1b expansion this summer

A new 14-gate concourse will be added to Washington National Airport (DCA) by 2021 as part of a $1b expansion project. The “commuter concourse” will replace 14 outdoor positions now used by regional aircraft at DCA. The expansion project will commence this summer. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which also manages Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), said the project will additionally include the construction of two new screening checkpoints that will enable passengers to go through security before entering the primary retail area of the airport’s main terminal. Currently, Terminal B/C’s checkpoints are situated so that passengers are cut off from the airport’s largest restaurants and high-end retail shops once they go through security screening. The setup also creates crowding at DCA’s gates because so much of the airport’s main terminal area is unable to be occupied by passengers waiting to board flights. The new checkpoints, which will expand DCA’s screening lane capacity from 20 to 28 lanes, are slated to be completed by 2020.<br/>