Car Rental at Dulles International Airport

Airport travel guide

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is one of the three major airports that serve the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. The other two are Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) and Ronald Reagan International Airport (DCA). BWI, located near Baltimore, Maryland, is about the same distance from Washington as Dulles. Reagan Airport, located just across the Potomac River from Washington, is the closest airport to the capital. 

However, Reagan Airport only has flights from cities on the east coast and midwest. If flying from further away, either domestic or international, you will have to fly into Dulles or BWI. 

Though Dulles is larger,  Baltimore-Washington International Airport actually has more passengers mainly due to the popularity of Southwest Airlines which uses it as a focus city.

Top international routes

• New York City
• Atlanta
• Denver
• Chicago
• Charlotte
• San Salvador
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco

Main airlines

United Airlines is by far the largest airline at IAD with the airport being one of its main hubs. Delta, American, Southwest, and Alaska are also popular domestic airlines at the airport. Lufthansa, Avianca, Air France, British Airways, and Emirates are the main international airlines.

Location

IAD is roughly 25 miles from Washington, D.C. The drive takes an average of about 40 minutes along the Dulles Access Road (State Road 267) to I-66. The road runs alongside, but is separated from, the Dulles Toll Road. The former road runs directly to the airport and is toll-free for those transiting to or from the airport to the city. The latter road is tolled for local drivers. When leaving the airport, make sure to take the exit to Washington via NO TOLL 267 to avoid paying the toll.

If you are planning to take this route, be aware that I-66 is a toll road (even though HOV’s with 2 or more people in the car don’t have to pay the toll, this doesn’t work for rental cars), but only during rush hours, so between 5:30 AM and 9:30 AM if heading into the city and from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM if heading from the city towards the airport. This toll is cashless and requires an EZ-Pass. If you want to avoid the rental companies administrative fees for this, take I-495 from the Dulles Access Road to the George Washington Memorial Parkway, though be prepared for the traffic.

Most popular types of rental car

• Small cars - from $73 per day
• Medium cars - from $66 per day
• Large cars - from $53 per day
• SUVs - from $77 per day
• Premium cars - from $87 per day
• Vans - from $87 per day
• Convertibles - from $123 per day

Car rental desks

Unfortunately, while many other airports in the United States have built rental car facilities that house all of the car rental companies that serve them, Dulles does not have one. At Dulles, you must find the shuttle bus for the specific company you are renting from. These shuttles all stop at section 2C of Curb 2 outside of the baggage claim area on the lower level of the terminal. When returning to the airport, each company will provide a shuttle from the rental car drop off to the terminal.

Services and facilities

At Dulles, you will find all of the facilities that you would expect to find at a major international airport. This includes free charging stations through the concourses and free wifi (FlyDulles) in the terminal and concourses. There is one hotel on the airport property, a Marriott. Many more are right outside of the airport (and most of these have lower rates). Most of these have free shuttle services so you can drop your rental car off the night before if you have an early flight. Dulles airport also has a unique startup that serves as an alternative to hotels. The Sleepbox Lounge offers tiny rooms with beds and desks that you can reserve for at little as an hour. They are located in Concourse A past security and can be cheaper than a hotel. You must book on their app. 

IAD, being an international airport, has multiple currency exchange booths, both in the concourse as in the International Arrivals Building. As is usually the case, you are best off exchanging money before departing your home country or using ATMs to withdraw cash as your bank will invariably give you a better exchange rate than you will get at the exchange office in the airport. Of course, most businesses in the United States accept credit cards so you may not need much cash (thought the Dulles Greenway near the airport that goes away from Washington has toll booths that only accept cash). 

Passengers will find many shops and restaurants both in the terminal building and in the concourses. The airport has an online directory of the options with a good map.

Nearest gas station

There is a Sunoco gas station located on Rudder Road in the airport’s territory that is almost directly on the way to where renters need to go to return their cars. You may think that gas must be expensive at such a location, but the company’s contract actually stipulates that it offer fuel at competitive prices. In fact, it’s prices are generally lower than other stations in the surrounding area. There are also Subway and Laredo Taco (known for its fresh tortillas and salsa) at the station if you want a bite before your flight.

Popular one-way rentals

• New York City (227 mi / 365 km). The Big Apple is one of the world’s most visited cities for a reason - it is home to more world-famous landmarks than it’s possible to include in a single list. The city is also a hub of arts, innovation, science, music, and cuisine - whatever you’ll be looking for, you’re likely to find it in NYC.
• Philadelphia (153 mi / 246 km). The largest city in Pennsylvania, Philly, as it is affectionately known among Americans, is a great travel destination. The city is home to many parks and museums, as well as attractions like the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site and Fairmount Water Works.
• Charlotte (425 mi / 684 km). Located in the state of North Carolina, Charlotte has its fair share of attractions for a traveler to enjoy. These include the Carolinas Aviation Museum, Bojangles’ Coliseum, and the Children’s Theater of Charlotte. The city is also near the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.
• Nashville (666 mi / 1,071 km). The country music capital of the world, Nashville is home to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the beautiful Musica sculpture, country bars and convert venues, and many centers and sites dedicated to famous musicians who hailed from or worked in the city. If you don’t care much about the country, the city likely still has something for you - it is home to the Lane Motor Museum, Adventure Science Center, and Belle Meade Plantation.
• Cincinnati (501 mi / 806 km). Located in the state of Ohio near the border with Kentucky, Cincinnati is an up-and-coming travel destination. Travelers enjoy visiting the Carew Tower & Observation Deck, Cincinnati Observatory Center, and John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. Other attractions include the Holy Cross-Immaculata Catholic Church and American Classical Museum Hall of Fame.
• Pittsburgh (241 mi / 388 km). Located in the state of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is a city of museums - it has the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Toonseum cartoon museum, and the National Aviary. But there’s even more about this place, from large public parks to the impressive Cathedral of Learning.