Washington Dulles International Airport

Region: Virginia

Washington Dulles International Airport
Location	Dulles, Virginia
IATA code	IAD
ICAO code	KIAD
Airport type	Commercial
Website	http://www.metwashairports.com/Dulles/
Overview map	Google Maps
Communications
Tower	120.1 (1R-19L), 128.425 (1L-19R, 12-30)
Ground	121.9 (East), 132.45 (West)
Clearance	135.7
Approach	126.1, 124.65
Departure	125.05
ATIS	134.85
Departure	122.95
Plane Spotting Hotels guide

Dulles International is one of three major airports serving the Washington D.C. area (the other two being Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA/KDCA) and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI/KBWI)). It is by far the largest of the three, and serves as the main international gateway for the U.S. capital city. The airport serves as an international hub for United, and, until the airline went out of business, also served as the hub for ill-fated Independence Air. The airfield has four main runways: 1L/19R, 1C/19C, 1R/19L, and 12/30.

Official Spotting Locations

Unfortunately, the old observation deck at the base of the original control tower has been closed and covered up, due to Main Terminal renovations. It is still visible in the Google Earth photo.

The best on-site "official" spotting is provided by the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center, explained below.

Udvar-Hazy Center Observation Tower

The observation and viewing tower at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center provides fairly decent views of aircraft approaching the 1's, and departing the 19's, as the tower sits between the approach paths of the 1's. This place is good ONLY to view airplanes on approach and departures for the morning heavy wave!

While good for viewing, you can get much better shots of arriving airplanes from the parking lot in front of the museum but you will have issues with the trees!

Other Spotting Locations

Purple Economy Lot

The Purple Economy Lot offers a great vantage point directly under the approach/departure path, less than a half-mile away from the threshold of runway 19L. Parking there is $3/hr, and no more than $9/day, so if you stay more than three hours, you're almost getting free spotting. The lot tends to be sparse, so you may stick out. As long as you have an ID and are causing no trouble, you should be fine. After all, they're making money from you.

Central Airport

The Daily Garages offer a better vantage point for all three runways. Daily Garage I offers a spectacular view of the Main Terminal and Signature Flight Support. If you have a decent lens, you should be able to get decent shots, but this point is more for overviews because of the distance. Daily Garage II offers a great view of the south cargo ramp, which houses DHL and UPS. Further north is Fed-Ex. Occasionally, Piedmont-Hawthorne will put larger customers down here, such as the UAE's B747SP. You will need a decent lens to get good pictures of the north cargo ramp.

Both garages are $5/hr with a max of $15/day. Again, make sure you have an ID in case you are questioned. They may ask you to leave here, though, because these lots tend to be more popular.

Udvar-Hazy Center Parking Lot

The parking lot for the Udvar-Hazy Center is considered by many to be better than the observation tower itself, especially for 1R landings. From the entrance to the parking lot, proceed past the museum and park at the far end of the lot. Other spots may have more trees to contend with. Parking is $15/day; museum admission itself is free. Restrooms and food are available in the museum.

Westfield High School

The school is a good distance away (3.75mi from the threshold of runway 1L and 3mi from the threshold of runway 1R), but offers a decent spot for approaches to runways 1L and 1R. As long as school is not in session, security tends to be lax or non-existent. The student lot is often used by parents to teach their children to drive, along with other activities, so your presence will go largely unnoticed.

The school is off of Route 50 on Stonecroft Blvd.

Locations to Avoid

Avoid Signature Flight Support and Landmark Aviation. Both are very strict about security and do not like anyone except customers. This includes parking or even standing in their lots.

Regular Traffic

IAD gets some great rare (for the USA) airlines, such as Ethiopian. The airport is also visited occasionally by the German Luftwaffe, RAF and other foreign dignitaries.

Domestic Traffic and Aircraft

American Airlines: American has a large number of daily flights from its hubs. Several aircraft are used, including the 737-800s, 757-200s, and MD-80s.
- American Eagle: American Eagle operates many flights using the ERJ-135/140/145.
- American Connection: Operated by Trans States and Chautauqua using ERJ-145s.
Delta Air Lines: Delta is using A319s, A320s MD-88s, and B717-200s
- Delta Connection: CRJ-200s and sometimes CRJ-700 or 900s
JetBlue Airways: JetBlue operates both A320s and Embraer 190s

Frontier Airlines: Frontier is starting to bring 10 daily flights on both A319s and A320s

Porter Airlines: 4 daily Q400s

Silver Airways: Frequent Saab 340s

Southwest Airlines: Southwest is using 737-300/700.
United Airlines: United has a hub at Dulles and operates many flights daily using several aircraft. This includes the B737-700, B737-800, B737-900ER, 757-200, 767-300, 777-200, A319, and A320, in both new and old liveries.
- United Express: CRJ-200, CRJ-700, Saab 340, ERJ-145, EMB-170, Dash 8-200s, and Q400s!
- US Airways Express: CRJ200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900.
Virgin America: A320

International Traffic and Aircraft

Aeroflot: Operates a 767-300 and occasional A332/A333s

Aeromexico: B737-800s

Air China: B777-300ER

Air France: A380-800s, and 777-200/300/300ERs.
ANA: Operates a 777-300ER.
Austrian Airways: Operates a B767-300ER.

Avianca: Operates a A319

British Airways: 777-200s, 747-400s, and occasionally 767-300s.

Brussels Airlines: A330-200 and A330-300

COPA: Operates a B737-800

Emirates: Operates a 777-300ER

Etihad: Operates an A340-600!

Ethiopian: Operates a 767-300 and an occasional 777-300ER and 787-8

Icelandair: Operates a B757-200

KLM: Daily flight from Amsterdam using A330-200, A330-200 and rare B747-400s
Korean Air: Operates 777-200ER.
Lufthansa: A330-300s, A340-600s and B747-8Is.
Qatar Airways: B777-300ER
Saudi Arabian Airlines: Operates a 777-200.
South African Airlines: A340-600
SAS: Daily flight from Copenhagen using an A330-300.
TACA: Operates an A319, A320, A321.

Turkish Airlines: Operates a Tyrolean A330-300 daily!

Virgin Atlantic Airways: Operates an A330-300s and occasional A340-300 or A340-600s

Cargo Traffic and Aircraft

Airborne Express (now DHL): 767-200.
FedEx: Operates the B757-200F, A300-600, A310, and DC-10.

FedEx Feeder: Cessna 208 Caravan

UPS: B757-200F,and A300-600.
Volga-Dnepr: AN-124

Military Traffic and Aircraft

Lufwaffe: Daily C-160, A310.
RAF: C-130, VC-10.

Facilities and Transportation

External Links

[1] - Plane Spotting Hotels-Hotels with views of the airport at Washington Dulles and Airports worldwide.
WashBaltSpotters.net - Washington Baltimore Spotters Group - containing information about the area airports, spotting guides, traffic, news and photos
FlyIAD.net - Spotters Guide to Washington DC Area Arports
DCTower.net - Flight info, weather, photos, forums, and much more for DCA & IAD