Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty Images
President Donald Trump announced a $22 billion plan to renovate Dulles International Airport on Wednesday (July 29). Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described the 63-year-old airport as one of the worst globally and emphasized the need for its makeover. The renovation aims to construct new terminals while preserving the iconic original designs.
The project will replace aging terminals and eliminate the much-criticized "people movers" at the airport. Trump was joined by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and United CEO Scott Kirby during the announcement. Duffy noted that the federal government plans to rebuild Dulles, which serves as a major hub for United Airlines and the main international gateway for the national capital region.
The proposed revitalization plan includes terminal expansion and the addition of four new concourses, scheduled for completion by 2034. According to The Daily Record, critics have long called for modernization due to issues like slow passenger transport and unpleasant jet fuel smells in the concourses.
The airport, designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, is operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority under a 50-year lease approved by Congress. In 2025, the airport authority approved a master capital plan to spend at least $7 billion overhauling Dulles in the coming years.
The renovation is part of Trump's broader quest to remake Washington, and he expressed a vision for Dulles to become a great airport. As reported by The Washington Post, Trump stated, "They have a great building and a bad airport." The project is expected to face scrutiny as details continue to be finalized.