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Travel Forum / Travel Types / Air Travel / February 2005Washington Dulles airport
Hi My wife and I are planning a trip to the USA in September and are about to book our flights. One option is to fly from the UK to LAX via Washington Dulles Airport. However, I seem to remember reading something some time ago that Dulles was an airport to be "avoided" but can't remember why - possibly long queues at immigration?? Anybody any comments about Dulles? Is it any worse (or better) than flying via Atlanta or Chicago (our other options)? We have flown to the USA via these 2 airports on numerous occasions and know what to expect but have no experience of Dulles - just a vague memory of reading something about it somewhere!!!! Any help would be appreciated before I commit myself to booking the flights. Regards KGB "KGB (KGB)" wrote... > Hi > ............ > Anybody any comments about Dulles? Is it any worse (or better) than > flying via Atlanta or Chicago (our other options)? We have flown to > the USA via these 2 airports on numerous occasions and know what to > expect but have no experience of Dulles - just a vague memory of > reading something about it somewhere!!!! Connecting thru Dulles may actually be preferable to connections thru either of the others since getting from flight to flight there has seemed easier on the few occasions I've connected there. Personally, I think that Atlanta's "La Migra" are a tad less surly than are the Hairy Barstids of O'Hare, and Atlanta's central spine makes getting from flight to flight easier than it can turn out to be at O'Hare. I sense from a couple of recent walks thru Dulles, domestic not international, that there's a higher "potential target" threat and, even counting diplomats who transit quickly, there are more folks likely to slow up the process. In my case, the decision would have less to do with a choice of the three, than with my final destination and the airlines/fares/connection times/schedules involved. About to if not already opening a new international terminal, Dallas, not Dulles, is probably the easiest and quickest, but requires "substantial maneuvering" to get to other terminals for domestic connections, even for may AA pax. Desperate to generate revenue, Delta's fare cuts may make its domestic legs worth it, and friends tell me that Cincy is greatly to be preferred to ORD or JFK. The back of the bus in Delta is on a par with transatlantic standards (or lack of them) these days, and I was routinely comfortable and well treated in the front cabin, Atlanta/Milan and back, last year. > Any help would be appreciated before I commit myself to booking the > flights. > > Regards > KGB > Anybody any comments about Dulles? Is it any worse (or better) than > flying via Atlanta or Chicago (our other options)? I found Dulles to be big but efficient. The people-movers move passengers rapidly between isolated terminals so the size isn't much of a problem. Snow has the potential to close the place down. http://www.carsurvey.org/air/ has any number of flight reviews and usually people will mention problems at terminals if encountered. http://www.carsurvey.org/air/review_9762.html http://www.carsurvey.org/air/review_9487.html http://www.carsurvey.org/air/review_6568.html http://www.carsurvey.org/air/review_9846.html among others. I've flown in from LHR (Virgin) to Dulles and cleared immigration within 5 minutes. It is no worse than any other airport. The problem is that for a connection, you must once again clear security. > Hi > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Regards > KGB > I've flown in from LHR (Virgin) to Dulles and cleared immigration within 5 > minutes. It is no worse than any other airport. The problem is that for a > connection, you must once again clear security. But isn't that true at EVERY US point of entry? Dulles has flight delays some afternoons, but nothing like ORD or ATL. Look at http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp around the time of day of your flights. Remember the time difference across the pond. > > I've flown in from LHR (Virgin) to Dulles and cleared immigration > within 5 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > But isn't that true at EVERY US point of entry? It was true at LAX for me. I cleared customs, dropped off my luggage for my ongoing flight to IAD and had to queue to go through security again. Same deal when I got back home (Australia). My understanding is that a passenger could transfer a weapon from checked luggage to carryon when they have both in their possession going through customs. Peter >>I've flown in from LHR (Virgin) to Dulles and cleared immigration > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > But isn't that true at EVERY US point of entry? Yes. Personally, if I was flying from a British regional airport to a destination in the US, I'd opt to change planes at Heathrow or Amsterdam rather than at a US point of entry, simply because that way my baggage would be checked all the way through to my final destination.  SignatureStephen I've Googled till I just can't Google no more. >>>I've flown in from LHR (Virgin) to Dulles and cleared immigration >> [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > rather than at a US point of entry, simply because that way my baggage > would be checked all the way through to my final destination. That only works if you can get a nonstop to your U.S. destination. >>>>I've flown in from LHR (Virgin) to Dulles and cleared immigration >>> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > That only works if you can get a nonstop to your U.S. destination. True, but the OP is planning to fly to LAX, and there's hardly a shortage of nonstops from Heathrow. SignatureStephen CORDELIA: I personally don't think it's possible to come up with a crazier plan. OZ: We attack the Mayor with hummus. CORDELIA: I stand corrected. ><SNIP> >>>Personally, if I was flying from a British regional airport to a [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >True, but the OP is planning to fly to LAX, and there's hardly a shortage of >nonstops from Heathrow. Hi Whilst I appreciate the above points (and probably agree with them), as the original poster I would like to make the following comments. We are actually flying from Manchester and there IS apparently a direct flight from MAN to LAX. However there are two factors, which means we would rather NOT take this option. 1) According to quotes from travel agents, a direct flight would add around £40 per ticket. 2) Personally I would rather fly direct, but my wife hates long flights and her preferred choice would actually have been to overnight at our "point of entry to the USA" after the Transatlantic leg and continue the domestic flight the next day. I would rather just get the damn flight over with - but women have their own ideas!!!! As it happens, the transfer time at Dulles is over two and a half hours so it is a reasonable compromise; a couple of hours to stretch her legs - and should give us enough time to catch our connection (hopefully). Having said that, Sod's Law means that no doubt our flights will be rescheduled between now and September to leave us with a transfer time of around 20 minutes!!!!! 8^) Also, I did consider (until vetoed by the wife!!) flying from MAN to Heathrow then non-stop to LAX but this would mean a very early start at Manchester; flying through Washington means a take-off time from MAN of 12:20. Rather bizarrely, my wife likes the idea of Dulles, as "we have never been to Washington". I tried gently pointing out (without success) that it doesn't really matter where we change planes - all airports look the same!!! Strewth, the things we married blokes have to contend with!! Regards p.s. I realize I should put my foot down, but as she is the one who is paying for the trip, I don't have too much bargaining power!! 8^) KGB >><SNIP> >>>>Personally, if I was flying from a British regional airport to a [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > >KGB At least when you are stuck in a long immigration queue with the minutes to last boarding time for the onward flight ticking away, you'll be able to say "I told you so" :-) --==++AJC++==-- > Rather bizarrely, my wife likes the idea of Dulles, as "we have never > been to Washington". I tried gently pointing out (without success) > that it doesn't really matter where we change planes - all airports > look the same!!! Not quite true. Dulles IS different to some extent. I didn't say necessarily better. > > Rather bizarrely, my wife likes the idea of Dulles, as "we have > never [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Not quite true. Dulles IS different to some extent. I didn't say > necessarily better. I liked the people-movers. I hadn't realised a vehicle could be so ugly. > Robert J Carpenter says... >> Not quite true. Dulles IS different to some extent. I didn't say >> necessarily better. > > I liked the people-movers. I hadn't realised a vehicle could be so ugly. Did you know that one could be so slow? miguel SignatureHit The Road! Photos from 35 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu > Rather bizarrely, my wife likes the idea of Dulles, as "we have never > been to Washington". I tried gently pointing out (without success) > that it doesn't really matter where we change planes - all airports > look the same!!! Dulles is a half hour's drive out of Washington and it's unlikely you'll see anything of the capital as you come in. It has an impressive terminal building, but inside, it's all same same as anywhere else. Besides, you'd need at least a week to even scrape the surface of Washington. I suppose if you had a couple of hours and a hundred bucks you could get a cab in, drive up and down the Mall and back to Dulles. :>> I've flown in from LHR (Virgin) to Dulles and cleared immigration :>within 5 :>> minutes. It is no worse than any other airport. The problem is :>that for a :>> connection, you must once again clear security. :>But isn't that true at EVERY US point of entry? Yes. In some places in Europe it is even worse. You have to clear security when changing planes in the same terminal without even going thru immigration or customs. SignatureBinyamin Dissen <bdissen@dissensoftware.com> http://www.dissensoftware.com Should you use the mailblocks package and expect a response from me, you should preauthorize the dissensoftware.com domain. I very rarely bother responding to challenge/response systems, especially those from irresponsible companies. |
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