Washington Dulles opens 14-gate Concourse E to travelers

Washington Dulles International Airport's Concourse E began welcoming flights and travelers on November 10, a day after the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and United Airlines unveiled the new facility. This is a functioning passenger opening, not merely a rendering or an announced future terminal.

The 435,000-square-foot concourse adds 14 United gates. It also has direct AeroTrain access, dining and retail space and a nearly 40,000-square-foot United Club, which the airline describes as one of the largest airline clubs in the Western Hemisphere. Officials say each gate can serve domestic or international flights. Travelers should still check the gate assigned to their particular flight rather than assume every United departure has moved.

For people passing through Dulles, the useful change is the route between the main terminal and gate. Direct train access means passengers assigned to the new concourse can arrive by AeroTrain. Officials also point to expanded seating and upgraded restrooms, but the traveler experience will depend on operations once the space is busy.

Food and retail names reported for the concourse by WTOP include Dos Toros Taqueria, Good Company Doughnuts & Café, Bonchon and Honor Brewing, along with duty-free shopping and a video gaming lounge. Individual opening hours may vary, so passengers should not plan a connection around a specific vendor without checking.

Concourse E is the first major step in a broader multi-year, $20 billion Dulles capital program. Later stages, including the eventual retirement of the older Concourses C and D, are future projects. They should not be confused with today's 14-gate opening.

This article uses an older, clearly labelled aerial photograph of Dulles, not a photograph of the new Concourse E.