Make Dulles great again? Trump administration to redesign Washington DC airport
December 3, 2025
The Trump administration has opened the door to a major redesign of Washington Dulles International Airport, inviting proposals that could lead to the refurbishment of the airport’s terminals and concourses.
The move, announced by US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, begins a formal review of the airport’s long-term infrastructure needs.
The plan also signals federal government interest in options far more extensive than those currently under consideration by the airport operator.
Trump administration seeks to redevelop Washington Dulles
The Department of Transportation has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking design, financing and construction concepts from developers, architects and engineering teams.
The RFI covers alternatives ranging from new terminals to entirely reconfigured concourses, replacing or building upon the existing complex first opened in the 1960s.
Announcing the initiative, Duffy linked the effort to the administration’s wider infrastructure agenda. “Tourists, world leaders, and CEOs from around the world should not be forced to travel through an inefficient airport when they visit DC,” he said.
“IAD needs a complete refresh to assume its proper role as the premier international gateway into the capital of the greatest country in the world. We’re engaging the private sector to explore how we can do this cost effectively and at the speed of Trump.”
How bad really is Dulles?
Dulles has faced criticism for its dated infrastructure, including the well-known “mobile lounge” system that shuttles passengers between distant gates.
The Department noted continued reliance on these vehicles, ventilation issues within concourses and limited gate capacity at the main terminal as factors supporting the case for a more substantial redevelopment.
The recent crash of one of the mobile lounges, which injured 18 people, has intensified scrutiny of the airport’s ageing facilities.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which operates both Dulles and Reagan National under a federal lease, already has a multi-year modernisation programme in motion.
However, DOT officials argue that the current approach does not fully address long-term operational and capacity challenges. MWAA plans to retain the mobile lounges for another 15 to 20 years at a projected cost of $160 million.
However analysts argue that Dulles is far from the US airport in most need of renovation.
Designing the future airport
Under the new RFI, industry teams are invited to submit structural, financial and delivery concepts.
Once responses are received, the DOT intends to share them with MWAA and coordinate the next steps.
While any major redevelopment would still require the authority’s involvement and further approvals, the Trump administration’s engagement suggests an increased willingness to influence the airport’s future direction.
The initiative also aligns with the administration’s controversial architectural policy. President Trump’s Executive Order 14344, Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again, issued in August 2025, calls for public buildings to meet defined aesthetic “standards”. The order applies to federal projects and is expected to inform DOT’s assessment of any design proposals that emerge from the RFI process.
Dulles Airport is sited on federal land, with MWAA holding operational responsibility under a lease originally signed in 1987 and extended in 2024 to the year 2100. While MWAA manages day-to-day operations and capital works, the federal government retains ownership of the property, allowing DOT to initiate broader reviews when it considers them necessary.
Featured image: Dulles Airport
