With just over three months to go, a crew of 600 workers is shifting into round-the-clock mode to ensure Dulles International Airport’s $700 million Concourse E is ready on time.
“These guys are working hard to get this done,” Airport Manager Richard Golinowski said during a Wednesday (June 10) media event spotlighting progress on the 14-gate facility to be used by United Airlines.
“It’s really transformational,” Golinowski said, calling the project “the beginning of the rejuvenation” of Dulles Airport, which opened in 1962.
The ultimate aim is “giving the customer a better experience, a more welcoming environment,” he said.
Officials with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority say they expect Concourse E to be ready for passengers by late September or early October, though a firm opening date has not been set.
General contractor Turner Construction, its subcontractors and those working for concessionaires are putting in the hours to have the 450,000-square-foot facility ready on time.
Work is progressing 24 hours a day on weekdays and 12 to 15 hours daily on weekends, airport officials told FFXnow.
Once open, departing passengers will connect from the main terminal at Dulles to Concourse E via the underground AeroTrain transit network.
“You’ll come from the train and pop right into the concourse,” Golinowski said.
Travelers arriving from domestic destinations — or for international destinations where pre-clearance is available — will use AeroTrain to connect to the main terminal. Those arriving from other international destinations will be taken by bus to customs and immigration facilities for now.
All concession slots at the new terminal have been leased, said Jaimini Erskine, vice president for marketing and concessions at the airports authority.
While national and international brands have their place, she said an emphasis has been on sourcing concessionaires with regional ties, such as outlets of Honor Brewing Company, which can be found in Fairfax and Loudoun, and Arlington’s Good Company Doughnuts and Cafe.
“A local presence is really important to us. We want to make sure everyone gets a taste of local,” Erskine said.
Restaurants, retail venues and even gaming experiences will be located throughout the terminal.
“Everybody is going to have a little of everything near their gates,” Erskine said.
The concourse also will be home to a 40,000-square foot United Club, which will have a capacity of 650 people and become the carrier’s second largest club venue in the U.S. when complete.
Eventually, Concourse E is expected to expand to 36 gates, with the second phase now in the planning stage.
The new concourse is part of a long-range expansion plan at Dulles, which last year saw a record 29 million passengers travel through. International travelers accounted for one in three passengers at the airport.
Last summer, MWAA adopted a master plan that envisions enough growth to accommodate upwards of 90 million passengers annually.
The Trump Administration has pressed for a more aggressive improvement schedule, without providing a plan to fund what airport officials reportedly estimate could cost $22 billion. At the June 10 event, Golinowski said the airports authority is working well with the administration in finding ways to move forward.
