Washington D.C.´s Dulles Airport has long been a very, very quiet facility, even with its modern Eero Saarinen design. After opening in 1962, it was praised for its futuristic design but criticized for its 25 mile distance from Washington way out in Dulles, Virginia. Like Laguardia, Washington´s close-in airport is slot limited and has short runways. Dulles was built to accomodate all long-haul international and domestic traffic.

For years, it was a slumbering giant but in recent years low cost airlines such as Jet Blue, Ted, Air Tran, and the expired IAD based Independence Air have made this much like JFK, a major low cost hub and very busy. Southwest Airlines announced that it would begin service in 2006, destinations are TBA. n the late 90s anticipating this demand, the terminal length was nearly doubled with a nearly seemless stretch on both sides. Dulles was the site of the 1975, 77, and 79 kitsch classic movies "Airport".