Violet

I will be flying to Washington D.C. & driving to the Williamsburg, VA area. Any recomendations as to which D.C. airport is best: Reagan, Dulles, or Baltimore Washington? The last is the cheapest but also the farthest drive from Virginia. I would appreciate any input. Thanks.

Gary

Violet:

I've flown into all three, and I think BWI is the best by far. The walk from the plane to the terminal is relatively short, the baggage is fast, and the rental cars are in a garage right across the street. I find Dulles a series of frustrating waits and bus rides; it's a real design disaster that one can only assume looked good on paper. As for Reagan, I've never successfully negotiated the drive from the freeway to the terminal on the first try--for some reason, it seems awfully difficult to get there, despite that one can see it from the road.

Cindy

OK, I'll admit it. I've lived here 8 years and I still can't negotiate the routes out of National. I get detoured every time, as the signs are just awful, IMHO. BWI is easy to negotiate, but you have to be very careful about the time of day you pick, as traffic can be bad. I kind of like Dulles because, setting aside the delays Gary points out, the freeway access is pretty darn good.

I think there is a lot of disagreement on the "right" answer to your question, so expect several different opinions. Good luck.

Brian in Atlanta

Don't know where you're flying from, but consider Newport News or Norfolk airports as alternatives. Williamsburg is about 30 minutes from Newport News and 60 from Norfolk.

Richmond's also an option, but fares are usually pretty high there.

Dave

DO NOT FLY INTO BWI! Yes it is the cheapest however it is a 40 minute drive north of DC, and that is with minimal traffic. If you fly into BWI during rush hour, it could take upwards of 2 hours to get just to DC. I personally find National the easiest of all the D.C. airports. The freeways(both 395 and 66) are both extremely close, however I admit it is difficult to find sometimes. Dulles is nice, but the "mobil lounges" and baggage claim are a hassle. Personally I would fork out the extra money and fly into Richmond and not have to deal with the DC traffic. However if you do fly into this area, do not fly into BWI.

topper

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Ruth

I fly in and out of BWI as it's the closest to my house and usually the cheapest. But if you want to drive to Williamsburg, National might be best. I agree with the other posters, however, about checking into flying into Richmond or Norfolk. Also, I think Raleigh NC may be about the same driving time from Williamsburg as DC (particulary BWI) is and you might get cheaper flights there.

hans

I picked up a rental car at National, drove to Williamsburg, and then returned it to Dulles. I don't recall the drive out from National to be particularly difficult but perhaps I got lucky. The drive to Dulles was a breeze.

I didn't fly into National, just got a cab to the airport and found the rental garage but it was failry uneventful at least in the middle of the day.

joseph cameron

Why in the world would anyone suggest flying into BWI? It's an hour north of DC and you need to drive south of DC to get to Willamsburg. Dulles is also out of the way - it's too far west. Reagan National is the answer, and don't let anyone persuade you otherwise. Just look at a map and then you decide. And from Reagan it is very easy to find your way to Willamsburg. From Reagan take the George Washington Parkway south or US 1 south to Alexandria (both roads are next to Reagan - good signage too). Then follow signs to the Washington Beltway 495/95 South toward Richmond. It is 10 minutes from Reagan to the Beltway. You then go approx. 8 miles and exit off the beltway onto 395/95 South (toward Springfield, Va.) Just continue south on I-95 to Richmond and then consult your map for the interstate to Willaimsburg. Here's a tip to make your trip easier: try to avoid arriving in DC during rush hours, so you can avoid traffic buildup. There is no reasonable way you can avoid the Beltway, and none at all for 95 south. They have traffic jams - so, avoid rush hours. By the way, BWI and Dulles also put you on this same Beltway. Avoid rush hours.

Gary

Actually, Joseph, the reason I prefer flying into BWI, even though it is farther away, are: (1) cheaper airfare and (2) convenience (see above). I avoid the D.C. area entirely by taking Maryland route 3 to U.S. 301, which goes to Virginia via the Maryland peninsula. Once in Virginia, one can negotiate state roads south to Williamsburg. This route actually involves less miles than the Beltway/I-95 route, though it is slower if compared to the D.C. route with no traffic. Besides, I find flying in BWI much less stressful than either of the Washington airports.

Beth

Iwould second Gary's route thru southern Maryland. But be warned, if you have any bridge fears, that the bridge from Maryland into northern Virginia is long, with both lanes sharing the same span. It can be a little disconcerting.

Jill

I agree with the others about exploring other airports such as Norfolk (which would only be little more than an hour from Williamsburg). Otherwise, it depends on the the day of the week and the time of day as to whether to choose National or Dulles. National is definitely closer but 395/95 traffic can be terrible although lately I find the traffic is always heavy between DC and Richmond (although it often goes bumper to bumper at 70-75 mph once you get past Springfield). However, you can get to the HOV lanes of 395 from National (you go north from the airport towards the Pentagon instead of thru Alexandria) The HOV lanes go from there to about 14 miles north of Fredericksburg. You can only do this on weekdays from about 1 pm to 3:30 pm if you're driving solo. After 3:30 pm to 6:00 you need to have 3 people in the car. You can use the HOV lanes all day on Saturday regardless of number of people (On Sunday the HOV lanes run north instead of south so you could only use it to get back to the airport). From Dulles you can pick up 95 at Fredricksburg which will avoid the worst of the 95 traffic. Look at a map - I can't remember if you take 28 or 29 to 17 then 17 to 95.

Linda

I would fly to National. If you feel uncomfortable renting a car there, the Metro is available to take you where you want to go & rent. I have never had problems going in & out & it is sooo much closer.

sand

definitely national- when you pick up the rental car they will hand you a map and direct you. as a reader above said the two ways out route 1 south or george washington parkway south both will go thru areas with gas stations,hotels, markets etc that you can pull into to make sure you are headed right. have fun. my friends from minnesota-small town minnesota flew in last fall and did the same trip and thougth it was fun

fred small

Try National(Reagan)by all means. BWI fares are not necessarily cheaper - that will vary by airline, date, time, etc. Going through Md. via 3 and 301 to get into Va. (not far from the Bay) is interesting in places, but a very slow route. If you do fly into national, ask the car rental place how to get on Glebe Road west (only a few blocks from the airport), then go south on 395. That approach bypasses the DC beltway. You have to go through the Springfield Interchange construction, but that's only a short space of road, and then you're on your way south to Richmond. BWI is an okay airport, but if time and traffic are factors, skip it and start your trip in DC. By the way, the BW Parkway (from BWI) now has some new construction underway in places, and the traffic tends to back up. We were up that way a week ago. Good luck.

Annie

The people who had trouble negotiating National either were drunk at the time, or haven't been there for about 3 years. It's used to be difficult to navigate, but now that most the construction is finished, you'd have to work at getting lost.

One word of caution, I have a friend who actually got a ticket for speeding on an airport road. Bizarre, I know.