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Dulles International Airport earned a “very good” rating from travelers in 2025, though it finished slightly behind Reagan National Airport in the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s annual customer-satisfaction review.
More than 60,000 traveler surveys completed throughout the year gave Dulles an overall score of 3.7 on a five-point scale. National received a 3.8.
“Customers like our airports,” Gene Sutch, MWAA’s director of revenue strategy and analysis, told the authority’s business administration committee on Jan. 21.
Still, he acknowledged that “there’s always work to do.”
Dulles generally scored just below National in individual categories. National led 3.8 to 3.7 for shopping, 4.3 to 4.2 for rideshare pickups and drop-offs, 3.7 to 3.6 for Wi-Fi connectivity, and 4.0 to 3.8 for signage enhancements.
Travelers gave restroom improvements at National a 3.8 rating. Parking enhancements across both airports received a combined score of 3.9.
Dulles held a narrow advantage in parking satisfaction. Eighty-nine percent of its respondents rated parking as excellent, very good or good, compared with 88% at National.
Baggage delivery remains a concern
New MWAA board chair Mark Unchapher identified baggage delivery to arriving passengers as one of the airports’ continuing challenges. He noted that responsibility for the service is shared.
“We have our role, the airlines have a significant role, too,” Unchapher said.
When surveys show baggage-handling satisfaction falling, Sutch said authority employees attempt to identify the source of the problem and work with the airlines involved.
The annual survey is one of several tools MWAA uses to monitor traveler experiences. Nearly 168,000 responses arrived during the year through its QR-code-based “Feedback Now” system, while a separate program collected several thousand reports about restroom problems.
MWAA is launching a similar effort to gather immediate comments about airport concessions.
“Customers need to know we care about their experience,” Sutch said.
The favorable internal ratings come as Dulles faces broader scrutiny. In 2025, the Trump administration criticized conditions at the nearly 65-year-old airport and sought redevelopment proposals even as construction of a new concourse approached completion.
Concepts released in January ranged from entirely new terminals to wellness pods and replacements for the airport’s mobile lounges. The administration has characterized the lounges as outdated and called for their elimination to improve safety and the airport environment.
The federal government owns Dulles and National, but MWAA has operated both under long-term leases since 1987. The authority already has extensive improvement plans for the airports.
National rankings paint a tougher picture
Dulles and National fared less favorably in the J.D. Power 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.
Among 27 airports in the “large” category, Dulles ranked 23rd and National placed 20th. Dulles scored 612 and National 623, both below the category average of 656.
John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, led the group for a second consecutive year with a score of 730. Tampa International Airport followed at 709, and Dallas Love Field placed third at 705. Philadelphia International Airport finished last with 570.
Sutch did not address those overall rankings during his presentation. He argued that Dulles and National are more appropriately compared with airline hubs and major connecting airports, which have more complicated operations than facilities dominated by point-to-point travel.
By that measure, National was the highest-rated American Airlines hub in the J.D. Power study. Dulles ranked second among United Airlines hubs, just behind San Francisco International Airport.
Dulles is a major United hub, while National has a substantial American presence and some connecting traffic.
Revenue runs ahead of projections
MWAA’s airport operations also outperformed budget expectations through the first 11 months of 2025.
Andrew Rountree, the authority’s senior vice president for finance and chief financial officer, described the period as “a good year to date” during the Jan. 21 finance committee meeting.
Operating revenue from the two airports totaled $796.5 million, or 3.4% more than budgeted. Airline-related operations generated $252.9 million, 2.8% above projections.
Ancillary revenue from parking, concessions, rental-car charges and other sources reached $543.6 million, beating the budget by 3.7%.
Operating expenses totaled $479.5 million, roughly 7% below budget.
MWAA follows the calendar year for budgeting and expects to report audited full-year figures in March. Rountree said officials do not anticipate results that will differ materially from the 11-month figures.