US$1bn Project Journey starts at Washington’s Reagan National Airport

A comprehensive capital improvement to transform the passenger experience at Reagan National Airport kicked off at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board meeting on Wednesday, March 22. Expected to last several years and understood to be mobilizing this summer, Project Journey, as it has been called, will see the construction of two new security checkpoints fully connecting the concourse level of Terminal B/C to airline gate areas.
Improvements will also see the buildout of an enclosed commuter concourse to replace 14 outdoor gates which, at present, are being serviced by buses from gate 35X, together with improvements to roadway and parking configurations.
The US$1bn project will be completed in two phases which will run concurrently, with the first phase involving the new security checkpoints due to complete in 2020. Upon activation, the checkpoint capacity will expand from 20 to 28 security lanes, expediting the screening process and creating a seamless, free-flowing environment between Terminal B/C airline concourses and the new commuter concourse. The resulting connectivity should provide passengers an improved post-security experience, especially through alleviating gate area congestion while also expanding access to a variety of shopping and dining options.
The commuter concourse is scheduled to complete in 2021 and will replace the existing 14 outdoor aircraft boarding positions providing regional travelers with direct, enclosed access to planes via jet bridges, spacious waiting and boarding areas, diverse seating options with integrated power outlets and new concessions. Originally, the passenger area for the airport was designed to serve 15 million people annually, while currently 23 million passengers pass through the airport.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority operates Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport which, combined, dealt with in excess of 45 million passengers last year.