Key facts
- President Donald Trump will announce a $22 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport.
- The project will replace the airport's "mobile lounges" with a passenger train and moving walkways.
- United Airlines and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will help finance the overhaul.
- The renovation aims to address long-standing passenger complaints about the airport's infrastructure and reliance on mobile lounges.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to announce a $22 billion plan to rebuild Washington's Dulles International Airport, a project that includes replacing the airport's "mobile lounges" with a train system and moving walkways. The announcement, set for 3 p.m. at the White House, will be attended by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby.
Trump has personally reviewed design models and offered proposed changes for the overhaul, which aims to address longstanding complaints about the airport's infrastructure, including its distance from the city and the inefficiency of its current shuttle vehicles. The scheme is expected to feature five new terminals, an expanded underground train system, and a relocated parking lot.
United Airlines, which handles approximately 70% of traffic at Dulles, has agreed to help finance the project. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which operates the airport under a 50-year lease from Congress, is expected to fund a significant portion through new bond issuances. MWAA had already approved a separate $7 billion capital plan for the airport in 2025.
The push to remake Dulles comes amid broader infrastructure initiatives directed by President Trump. The airport handled a record 29 million passengers in 2025, and a recent incident in November where a mobile lounge collided with a concourse dock, injuring at least 18 people, has further highlighted the need for modernization.