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International travel helped propel Dulles International Airport to another record-setting year in 2025, with passenger traffic expected to climb 6% above the previous high.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority expects to confirm the final count in late February or March. Dulles handled 27,254,087 passengers in 2024, an 8.4% increase from 2023 and its busiest year since opening in 1962.

More than 10 million passengers traveled between Dulles and international destinations in 2025. United Airlines’ continued expansion and the arrival of additional domestic and international carriers contributed to the airport’s growth.

“New airlines continue to join the Dulles family,” authority President and CEO Jack Potter told the board of directors on Jan. 21.

Boliviana de Aviación, Bolivia’s government-owned airline, began twice-weekly flights between Dulles and Santa Cruz on Dec. 16. The route includes a fuel stop in Panama and is intended to serve the Washington region’s large Bolivian expatriate community.

The inaugural flight sold out, according to Chryssa Westerlund, the authority’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer.

Another international route is scheduled to arrive this spring. Air Premia plans to begin flying between Dulles and Incheon, South Korea, four days a week starting April 24. It will be the first Korean airline to launch service to the Washington region since 1995.

The airports authority has made attracting more Asian service a priority since travel restrictions eased following the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The region’s large Korean community is expected to support the new route.

Dulles’ projected record contrasts with Reagan National Airport, where passenger traffic is expected to decline 5% once final 2025 figures are released. National served 26,290,722 passengers in 2024, up 3.3% from the previous year.

National’s traffic was affected by the deadly January collision between an airplane and a helicopter over the Potomac River, which prompted temporary flight reductions. Federal workforce cuts and a seven-week government shutdown also reduced passenger totals.

Despite National’s decline, officials expect the two airports to set a combined passenger record. That activity is also projected to generate record revenue from parking, concessions and other non-airline sources.

The authority anticipates another surge of visitors during the spring and summer as events marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence accelerate across the Washington region.

Potter called the anniversary a major occasion, particularly in the nation’s capital. Both airports will install special signs for the celebration.

“We’re making sure our airports are dressed for the occasion,” Potter said.