New 14-Gate Concourse opens to replace Gate35X at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

On April 20th, the 230,000 square-foot New 14-Gate Concourse at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) made its debut to travelers.

As part of the AIR Alliance Joint-Venture Architectural/Engineering team for the project, PGAL provided design services for this new 14-gate concourse to replace Gate 35X, the previous ground-loaded, 14 regional jet aircraft hardstand and bussing operation. The project is just one part of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s $1 billion capital improvement program to enhance the level of service and the passenger experience. The program, known as Project Journey, is intended to improve level of service at Terminal B/C by eliminating passenger congestion and improving access to connecting flights

“There was a focus on passenger amenities,” says Dennis Comiskey, AIR Alliance project manager and a member of the PGAL design team for the new concourse. “The new design offers spacious next-generation holdrooms, access to aircraft via passenger boarding bridges, varied concession choices and a seamless connection to the rest of the terminal facilities. Gate areas are designed with diversified seating types to create a more inviting and lounge-like atmosphere with dedicated zones offering powered work surface counters for laptop and reading convenience,” Comiskey explains. Locally-inspired concessions spaces are integrated into the gate areas offering passengers convenient access to a broad range of retail, food and beverage options, and are set to open in Summer 2021.

The concourse’s design provides a respectful interpretation of the existing Terminal B/C with exposed architecturally enhanced structural steel, glazed exterior curtain walls, and vaulted ceilings. The architecture emphasizes an open and light filled interior that provides passengers full view to all amenities and reinforces intuitive wayfinding to all gates. Continuous glazed exterior walls facing the Potomac River link passengers to the area’s natural features while offering direct views to the Nation’s Capital.

American Airlines is the primary air carrier utilizing the new 14-gate concourse for their regional flight operations at DCA and expects to have as many as 85 peak daily departures this summer.