If you live in the Washington, DC area, you already know how confusing it can be to choose between our three major airports: Dulles (IAD), Reagan National (DCA), and BWI Marshall. All three are good — but they’re very different. Some are cheaper, some are closer, and some offer way better international options.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know in a simple, human, no-nonsense way so you can pick the right airport for your trip — not just the one people say is “usually best.”
IAD is easily the strongest airport in the DC region if you're flying internationally — especially to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish, Lufthansa, United, and Air India all operate major routes here.
DCA is unbeatable when it comes to convenience. If you live in Arlington, Alexandria, or DC itself, it’s a dream — short drive, fast security, easy Metro access.
Because of those restrictions, DCA doesn’t offer many international routes, and prices can be higher for longer domestic flights.
BWI is the home base for Southwest in the region, which means one thing: cheap flights.
For travelers in Maryland (Laurel, Columbia, Baltimore), BWI is usually the easiest airport to reach.
Based on fare data published by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and independent analyses from outlets like Investopedia and Axios:
FlyToDash AI makes it easy to compare flight prices from all three airports at once. Most DC travelers are surprised — the cheapest airport isn’t always the one they expect. FlyToDash AI helps reveal which airport (IAD, DCA, or BWI) actually offers the lowest price for your dates.
There’s no “one best airport” for every situation. But as a rule of thumb for DC-area travelers:
The good news is: you live in a region with three excellent airports. Use FlyToDash AI to compare all three in seconds — and always book the airport that works best for your wallet and your schedule.