Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Encyclopedia
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international
airport
serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the facility's IATA Airport Code
. The airport is located in northern unincorporated
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
, about 10 miles south of Baltimore
and 30 miles northeast of Washington, D.C.
It is adjacent to the Linthicum CDP
. It is named after Thurgood Marshall
, a Baltimore native and the first African American
to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States
.
BWI is a focus city
for Southwest Airlines
and Cape Air
, and a hub for AirTran Airways
. A record 21.9 million passengers traveled through BWI in 2010, an increase of 4.7% over the previous year, with July being the busiest month ever in the airport's history. This makes BWI the 24th busiest airport in North America. The airport was also ranked 47th in the world in total aircraft movements.
In 2010, BWI was ranked as the best airport of its size (15–25 mil. passengers) in the world by the Airports Council International based on its 2009 Airport Service Quality survey. In 2010, BWI was ranked the second airport in North America by Airports Council International – North America for "Best Food and Beverage Program."
. The following month the airlines moved to the new airport from Harbor Field (southeast of Baltimore at 39.25°N 76.53°W). The Official Airline Guide for April 1957 shows 52 weekday departures: 19 Eastern, 12 Capital, 8 American, 4 National, 3 TWA, 3 United, 2 Delta and 1 Allegheny. Miami had a couple of nonstops, but westward nonstop flights didn't reach beyond Ohio; Baltimore's reach expanded when jet service started in 1958–59. The early Boeing 707s and Douglas DC-8s couldn't use Washington National, and Dulles didn't exist until 1962, so Baltimore became Washington's jet airport, with transcon flights.
The State of Maryland
, through the Maryland Department of Transportation
(MDOT), purchased Friendship International Airport from the City of Baltimore for $36 million in 1972. Under MDOT, the Maryland State Aviation Administration took over airfield operations and grew from three employees to more than 200. Plans to upgrade, improve, and modernize all Maryland airport facilities were announced almost immediately by the Secretary of Transportation, Harry Hughes
.
To attract passengers from the Washington area, the airport was renamed Baltimore/Washington International Airport in 1973. The IATA code remained "BAL" (another airport had "BWI") until it was changed to "BWI" in 1982.
The first phase of BWI modernization was completed in 1974 at a cost of $30 million. Upgrades included improved instrument landing capabilities and runway systems, and construction of three new air cargo terminals, expanding the airport's freight capacity to 2.53 acres (1 ha).
The passenger terminal renovation program was complete in 1979, the most dramatic work of the airport's modernization. The BWI terminal more than doubled in size to 14.58 acres (59,003.2 m²); the number of gate positions increased from 20 to 27. The total cost of project was $70 million. To continue the work, the BWI Development Council was established to support initiatives for airport development.
The BWI Rail Station
opened in 1980, providing a rail connection to passengers on the busy Northeast Corridor
though Amtrak
. BWI became the first airport in the U.S. to be served by a dedicated intercity rail station. In particular, the station provided relatively easy transit access to Washington, D.C., something Washington Dulles International Airport
currently lacks. In the late 1990s, a new international terminal (Concourse E) was added, though Dulles continues to hold the lion's share of the region's international flights, and BWI has not attracted many long-haul international carriers. Air Jamaica
and British Airways
have had a presence at BWI for many years. AerLingus, Air Aruba
, Air Greenland
, El Al
, Ghana Airways
, Icelandair
, KLM, Ladeco
, and Mexicana
previously flew to BWI. Military flights, operated by the U.S. Air Force's
Air Mobility Command, continue to have a significant presence at BWI.
Beginning in the 1980s, and later for much of the 1990s, BWI was a major hub for Piedmont Airlines
and successor US Airways, but that airline's financial difficulties in the wake of the dot-com bust
, the September 11 attacks
, and intense low fare competition forced it to significantly reduce its presence at the airport. The airport has been a major haven for low-cost
flights in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area since Southwest Airlines
' arrival in September 1993 and subsequent expansion in the early 2000s. Southwest is now the airport's largest carrier, accounting for 51.90% of passengers carried in 2008. In terms of daily departures BWI is now Southwest's 4th most-served destination. BWI has International flights to London, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean and domestic flights around the United States.
To accommodate Southwest's extensive presence at the airport, in 2005 Concourses A and B were expanded, renovated, and integrated with one another to house all of that airline's operations there. This new facility opened on May 22, 2005. On October 1 of that year, the airport was renamed again, to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall
Airport, to honor the former US Supreme Court
justice
, who grew up in Baltimore.
The more recent renaming has not resulted in a change to the IATA and ICAO locater codes.
The airport has been a backdrop in numerous films, including The Silence of the Lambs, Goldfinger
, Broadcast News
, and Twelve Monkeys
.
In late 2008, Health
magazine named BWI the second healthiest airport in the United States. In 2009 the airport had a six percent increase in air travelers due to the proliferation of discount flights. In a 2009 survey of airport service quality by Airports Council International, BWI was the world's top ranking airport in the 15-to-25-million-passenger category. BWI also ranked seventh, in medium sized airports, based on customer satisfaction conducted by J.D Power and Associates.
In September 2010, Southwest Airlines announced it was acquiring AirTran Airways, both of which have large presences at BWI. Through the merger, Southwest will be even larger and will still be the largest carrier at the airport.
's, McDonnell-Douglas MD-11's, and British Airways' Boeing 767
. With diversions and charter operations constantly going on, it is possible that other large aircraft, like the Boeing 747
or Airbus 340, will be seen around BWI.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2009, the airport had 268,005 aircraft operations, an average of 734 per day: 91% air carrier, 8% general aviation
and less than 1% military
operations. There were 75 aircraft based at the airport: 45 single engine, 19 multi-engine, and 11 jets.
Southwest is the airport's largest carrier, accounting for 55.76% of passengers carried as of March 2011. Other major airlines with a significant presence at the airport are AirTran (15.31%), Delta Air Lines
(8.41%), US Airways (4.93%), and United Airlines
(4.87%).
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has five concourses, though Concourses A and B were essentially merged into a single concourse in the renovations completed in 2005. The Maryland Aviation Administration
has its headquarters on the third floor of the terminal building.
BWI Airport plans on improving existing Concourse C. For Concourse C, the airport plans on constructing a connection between Concourse A/B and Concourse C beyond security. Other improvements for Concourse C include, moving walkways, widening of Concourse C, modification of passenger hold rooms and relocation of security checkpoint. The estimated completion date is summer of 2013.
Concourses A/B
Concourse C
Concourse D
Concourse E
in 2007
and is one of airports with a light rail station in the main terminal.
Passenger van service is available through BayRunner Shuttle with services from BWI to Kent Island, Easton, Cambridge, Salisbury and Ocean City.
Bus service between BWI and the Greenbelt
station of the Washington Metro
and MARC
Camden Line
is provided by WMATA's Metrobus
on Route B30
every 40 minutes 6am-10pm weekdays and 9am-10pm on weekends.
The Maryland Transit Administration's Bus Route 17 serves BWI 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During the hours when the Light Rail operates, buses operate to the Patapsco Light Rail Stop. When the Light Rail is not in service, buses operate to Downtown Baltimore
.
MTA Commuter Bus route 201 connects BWI with Norbeck, Shady Grove Metro Station, and Gaithersburg.
Howard Transit
's Silver route operates between BWI and The Mall in Columbia hourly at most times except overnight.
Annapolis Transit
's Route C-60 operates between BWI and Annapolis.
, a spur route providing connections to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
and Interstate 95
.
BWI Rail Station
is located about a mile from the airport terminal; a free shuttle bus connects the train station and airport terminals. The station is served by Amtrak
Northeast Corridor
trains and, on weekdays, by the MARC
Penn Line. Travel time by train is about ten minutes to Baltimore's Penn Station
and thirty-five minutes to Union Station
in Washington, D.C. Trains depart at least once an hour seven days a week, with departure times during rush hours and business hours being significantly more frequent.
The Maryland Transit Administration
's Light Rail
line has a stop just outside the entrance to the airport's International Terminal. Passengers can take the Light Rail to a variety of destinations in Anne Arundel County
, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County
, and can transfer to the Metro Subway
in Baltimore, or to either of MARC's Baltimore terminals. A ride downtown takes approximately 30 minutes. Trains run every 20 minutes during peak hours, and 30 minutes all other times.
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the facility's IATA Airport Code
IATA airport code
An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association...
. The airport is located in northern unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, about 10 miles south of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and 30 miles northeast of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
It is adjacent to the Linthicum CDP
Linthicum, Maryland
Linthicum is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,539 at the 2000 census. It is the approximate location of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport...
. It is named after Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
, a Baltimore native and the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
.
BWI is a focus city
Focus city
In the airline industry, a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs...
for Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
and Cape Air
Cape Air
Hyannis Air Service, Inc., operating as Cape Air, is an airline headquartered at Barnstable Municipal Airport in Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. It operates scheduled passenger services in the Northeast, Florida, the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic States, Midwest, and Micronesia...
, and a hub for AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
. A record 21.9 million passengers traveled through BWI in 2010, an increase of 4.7% over the previous year, with July being the busiest month ever in the airport's history. This makes BWI the 24th busiest airport in North America. The airport was also ranked 47th in the world in total aircraft movements.
In 2010, BWI was ranked as the best airport of its size (15–25 mil. passengers) in the world by the Airports Council International based on its 2009 Airport Service Quality survey. In 2010, BWI was ranked the second airport in North America by Airports Council International – North America for "Best Food and Beverage Program."
History
Planning for a new airport on 3200 acres (1,295 ha) to serve the Baltimore/Washington area began just after the end of World War II, and ground was broken in 1947. Located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland next to where Friendship Church was razed, Friendship International Airport was dedicated on June 24, 1950, by President Harry TrumanHarry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
. The following month the airlines moved to the new airport from Harbor Field (southeast of Baltimore at 39.25°N 76.53°W). The Official Airline Guide for April 1957 shows 52 weekday departures: 19 Eastern, 12 Capital, 8 American, 4 National, 3 TWA, 3 United, 2 Delta and 1 Allegheny. Miami had a couple of nonstops, but westward nonstop flights didn't reach beyond Ohio; Baltimore's reach expanded when jet service started in 1958–59. The early Boeing 707s and Douglas DC-8s couldn't use Washington National, and Dulles didn't exist until 1962, so Baltimore became Washington's jet airport, with transcon flights.
The State of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, through the Maryland Department of Transportation
Maryland Department of Transportation
The Maryland Department of Transportation is a government agency in the U.S. state of Maryland. MDOT is overseen by Transportation Secretary Beverley K. Swaim-Staley, who replaced John Porcari in 2009 upon the latter's appointment as Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of...
(MDOT), purchased Friendship International Airport from the City of Baltimore for $36 million in 1972. Under MDOT, the Maryland State Aviation Administration took over airfield operations and grew from three employees to more than 200. Plans to upgrade, improve, and modernize all Maryland airport facilities were announced almost immediately by the Secretary of Transportation, Harry Hughes
Harry Hughes
Harry Roe Hughes , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 57th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1979 to 1987.-Early life and family:...
.
To attract passengers from the Washington area, the airport was renamed Baltimore/Washington International Airport in 1973. The IATA code remained "BAL" (another airport had "BWI") until it was changed to "BWI" in 1982.
The first phase of BWI modernization was completed in 1974 at a cost of $30 million. Upgrades included improved instrument landing capabilities and runway systems, and construction of three new air cargo terminals, expanding the airport's freight capacity to 2.53 acres (1 ha).
The passenger terminal renovation program was complete in 1979, the most dramatic work of the airport's modernization. The BWI terminal more than doubled in size to 14.58 acres (59,003.2 m²); the number of gate positions increased from 20 to 27. The total cost of project was $70 million. To continue the work, the BWI Development Council was established to support initiatives for airport development.
The BWI Rail Station
BWI Rail Station
The Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Rail Station is an Amtrak and MARC commuter rail train station in Linthicum, an unincorporated area in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States....
opened in 1980, providing a rail connection to passengers on the busy Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
though Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
. BWI became the first airport in the U.S. to be served by a dedicated intercity rail station. In particular, the station provided relatively easy transit access to Washington, D.C., something Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport serves the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia metropolitan area centered on the District of Columbia. It is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of...
currently lacks. In the late 1990s, a new international terminal (Concourse E) was added, though Dulles continues to hold the lion's share of the region's international flights, and BWI has not attracted many long-haul international carriers. Air Jamaica
Air Jamaica
Air Jamaica is the current national airline of Jamaica. It is has been owned and operated by Caribbean Airlines since 26 May 2011. The airline, headquartered in Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago also has administrative offices located in Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica...
and British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
have had a presence at BWI for many years. AerLingus, Air Aruba
Air Aruba
Air Aruba was the main air carrier from the island of Aruba. It was founded in 1986 and it declared bankruptcy in 2000. It was headquartered in the Brown Invest Building in Oranjestad, Aruba.- History :...
, Air Greenland
Air Greenland
Air Greenland A/S is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, jointly owned by the government of Greenland, the SAS Group, and the government of Denmark...
, El Al
El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
, Ghana Airways
Ghana Airways
Ghana Airways Limited was the national airline of the Republic of Ghana with its main base of operation, and hub, at Kotoka International Airport in Accra....
, Icelandair
Icelandair
Icelandair ehf is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, based on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík. It is part of the Icelandair Group and currently operates scheduled services to 31 cities in 13 countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean out of its hub at Keflavík International Airport...
, KLM, Ladeco
Ladeco
Ladeco was a former Chilean airline; Ladeco is the acronym of "Línea Aérea Del Cobre" or the "Airline of Copper," in reference to the principal Chilean export.-History:...
, and Mexicana
Mexicana de Aviación
Founded in 1921, Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. was Mexico's oldest airline, before ceasing operations on August 28, 2010. The group's closure was announced by the company's recently installed management team a short time after the group filed for Concurso Mercantil and US Chapter 15...
previously flew to BWI. Military flights, operated by the U.S. Air Force's
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Air Mobility Command, continue to have a significant presence at BWI.
Beginning in the 1980s, and later for much of the 1990s, BWI was a major hub for Piedmont Airlines
Piedmont Airlines
Piedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
and successor US Airways, but that airline's financial difficulties in the wake of the dot-com bust
Dot-com bubble
The dot-com bubble was a speculative bubble covering roughly 1995–2000 during which stock markets in industrialized nations saw their equity value rise rapidly from growth in the more...
, the September 11 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, and intense low fare competition forced it to significantly reduce its presence at the airport. The airport has been a major haven for low-cost
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
flights in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area since Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
' arrival in September 1993 and subsequent expansion in the early 2000s. Southwest is now the airport's largest carrier, accounting for 51.90% of passengers carried in 2008. In terms of daily departures BWI is now Southwest's 4th most-served destination. BWI has International flights to London, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean and domestic flights around the United States.
To accommodate Southwest's extensive presence at the airport, in 2005 Concourses A and B were expanded, renovated, and integrated with one another to house all of that airline's operations there. This new facility opened on May 22, 2005. On October 1 of that year, the airport was renamed again, to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
Airport, to honor the former US Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
justice
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, who grew up in Baltimore.
The more recent renaming has not resulted in a change to the IATA and ICAO locater codes.
The airport has been a backdrop in numerous films, including The Silence of the Lambs, Goldfinger
Goldfinger (film)
Goldfinger is the third spy film in the James Bond series and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1964, it is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title...
, Broadcast News
Broadcast News (film)
Broadcast News is a 1987 romantic comedy-drama film written, produced and directed by James L. Brooks. The film concerns a virtuoso television news producer , who has daily emotional breakdowns, a brilliant yet prickly reporter and his charismatic but far less seasoned rival...
, and Twelve Monkeys
Twelve Monkeys
12 Monkeys is a 1995 science fiction film directed by Terry Gilliam, inspired by Chris Marker's 1962 short film La jetée, and starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer....
.
In late 2008, Health
Health (magazine)
Health is an American magazine focused on women's health. It was purchased by Time Inc. in 1991. The company now operates as a part of Time's Southern Progress Corporation. The magazine's topics range from diet and recipes to fashion tips and dealing with life issues such as stress...
magazine named BWI the second healthiest airport in the United States. In 2009 the airport had a six percent increase in air travelers due to the proliferation of discount flights. In a 2009 survey of airport service quality by Airports Council International, BWI was the world's top ranking airport in the 15-to-25-million-passenger category. BWI also ranked seventh, in medium sized airports, based on customer satisfaction conducted by J.D Power and Associates.
In September 2010, Southwest Airlines announced it was acquiring AirTran Airways, both of which have large presences at BWI. Through the merger, Southwest will be even larger and will still be the largest carrier at the airport.
Operations and statistics
With winds from the north or west, aircraft will generally land on runway 33L and depart on runway 28. When the winds are from the south or east, arrivals are on runway 10 and departures are on runway 15R. Use of the smaller parallel runway (33R/15L) is restricted to smaller propeller-driven aircraft and small corporate jets. Runway 4/22 is closed for landings and takeoffs however it is used for taxing and turnoffs. The largest planes that land at BWI regularly are Boeing 757Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
's, McDonnell-Douglas MD-11's, and British Airways' Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
. With diversions and charter operations constantly going on, it is possible that other large aircraft, like the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
or Airbus 340, will be seen around BWI.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2009, the airport had 268,005 aircraft operations, an average of 734 per day: 91% air carrier, 8% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and less than 1% military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
operations. There were 75 aircraft based at the airport: 45 single engine, 19 multi-engine, and 11 jets.
Southwest is the airport's largest carrier, accounting for 55.76% of passengers carried as of March 2011. Other major airlines with a significant presence at the airport are AirTran (15.31%), Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
(8.41%), US Airways (4.93%), and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
(4.87%).
| Rank | City | Passengers | Airline(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .svg.png) Atlanta, GeorgiaHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States... |
682,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 2 |  Boston, MassachusettsLogan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways... |
571,000 | AirTran, JetBlue, Southwest |
| 3 |  Orlando, FloridaOrlando International Airport Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport... |
487,000 | AirTran, Southwest |
| 4 |  Charlotte, North Carolina |
457,000 | AirTran, US Airways |
| 5 |  Detroit, MichiganDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport.... |
337,000 | Delta, Southwest |
| 6 |  Denver, ColoradoDenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
329,000 | Southwest, United |
| 7 | Tampa, Florida Tampa International Airport Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority... |
311,000 | AirTran, Southwest |
| 8 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
296,000 | AirTran, Southwest |
| 9 |  Providence, Rhode IslandT. F. Green Airport T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green... |
291,000 | Southwest |
| 10 |  Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas |
267,000 | American |
| Passengers | Change from previous year | Aircraft operations | Cargo (pounds) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 20,698,967 | 266,790 | 252,413,171 | |
| 2007 | 21,044,384 | 1.67% | 265,424 | 254,701,295 |
| 2008 | 20,488,881 | 2.64% | 249,456 | 225,275,286 |
| 2009 | 20,953,615 | 2.27% | 245,522 | 221,302,348 |
| 2010 | 21,936,461 | 4.69% | 253,165 | 225,706,183 |
| Source: Maryland Aviation Administration | ||||
Terminals
Maryland Aviation Administration
The Maryland Aviation Administration is a state agency of Maryland and an airport authority under the jurisdiction of the Maryland Department of Transportation. The agency controls Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport...
has its headquarters on the third floor of the terminal building.
BWI Airport plans on improving existing Concourse C. For Concourse C, the airport plans on constructing a connection between Concourse A/B and Concourse C beyond security. Other improvements for Concourse C include, moving walkways, widening of Concourse C, modification of passenger hold rooms and relocation of security checkpoint. The estimated completion date is summer of 2013.
Concourses A/B
- Note: Concourses A and B have 26 gates, A1-A11 and B1-B15.
- Note: Concourses A and B serve AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines.
Concourse C
- Note: Concourse C has 14 gates, C1-C14.
- Note: Concourse C serves American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Air Lines, and Delta Connection.
- Note: In December 2011, Delta Air Lines will move to Concourse D, where AirTran Airways formerly operated out of before their move to Concourse A/B on November 16, 2011, as an effect of the merger with Southwest Airlines. Delta Air Lines will also take AirTran Airway's former ticket counters. After Delta moves to Concourse D, their old ticket counters will turn into expanded security lanes for Concourse C.
Concourse D
- Note: Concourse D has 38 gates, D1-D5, D7-D8, D10-D16, D21-D42, D46-D47.
- Note: Concourse D serves Cape Air, Continental Airlines, Continental Connection, Continental Express, JetBlue, US Airways, US Airways Express, United Airlines, United Express. The far end of Concourse D is built at ground level to serve small regional planes.
- Officially called the Governor William Donald SchaeferWilliam Donald SchaeferWilliam Donald Schaefer was an American politician who served in public office for 50 years at both the state and local level in Maryland. A Democrat, he was mayor of Baltimore from 1971 to 1987, the 58th Governor of Maryland from January 21, 1987 to January 18, 1995, and the Comptroller of...
International Terminal. - The Air Mobility Command also has a post in Concourse E flying active service troops out to worldwide destinations.
- Note: Concourse E has 6 gates, E1-E4, E6, E8
- Note: Concourse E serves Air Canada Express, AirTran Airways (International arrivals that are not pre-cleared), British Airways, and Vision Airlines.
- Note: All international arrivals from non pre-cleared destinations are handled at Concourse E.
- Note: All charter airlines are handled in Concourse E.
Passenger Airlines
Charter Airlines
Airline lounges
- British AirwaysBritish AirwaysBritish Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
operates a British Airways Club Lounge in Concourse E, near entrance to the concourse. This facility, while operated by British Airways, is a common-use facility available to passengers of all international concourse airlines. - The USOUnited Service OrganizationsThe United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
operates a lounge on the lower level of the Terminal between Concourses D and E for United States military personnel and their families. - Airspace Lounge opened on May 7,2011.
Other services
Cargo Airlines
Cargo Concourse- The Cargo Concourse is a 395,000-square-foot Air Cargo Center which includes a 60,000-square-foot cargo building in the Midfield Cargo Complex; Foreign Trade Zone; 17-acre air cargo ramp; ramp parking for 17 aircraft with direct nose-in access for 8 freighters.
DC-10 hard landing accident
On May 6 2009, A World Airways DC-10 had a landing accident causing the aircraft to go around after it hit the runway. The DC-10 landed on Runway 33L after it cleared the go-around. The DC-10 is now in an vaicent area and the whole plane is just a skeleton. The engines have been taken off due to it not being in service anymore.Ground transportation
BWI was ranked one of the "Top 10 Easiest U.S. Airports to Get to" by Aviation.comImaginova
Imaginova Corporation is a U.S. digital media and commerce company based in New York City. The company, which was started in 1999 as "Space.com" by CNN business anchor Lou Dobbs, later became known as Space Holdings Corp. Dan Stone became President, Chief Executive Officer and a board member in...
in 2007
and is one of airports with a light rail station in the main terminal.
Buses
Eastern Shore of MarylandEastern Shore of Maryland
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a territorial part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies predominately on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay and consists of nine counties. The origin of term Eastern Shore was derived to distinguish a territorial part of the State of Maryland from the Western...
Passenger van service is available through BayRunner Shuttle with services from BWI to Kent Island, Easton, Cambridge, Salisbury and Ocean City.
Bus service between BWI and the Greenbelt
Greenbelt (Washington Metro)
Greenbelt is a Washington Metro and MARC station in Prince George's County, Maryland on the Green Line. It is the northeastern end of the Green Line....
station of the Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
and MARC
MARC Train
MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
Camden Line
Camden Line
The Camden Line is a MARC commuter rail line that runs between Union Station, Washington, D.C. and Camden Station, Baltimore, Maryland over the CSX Capital Subdivision. Service began along this route in 1835 as part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , making it the oldest passenger rail line in...
is provided by WMATA's Metrobus
Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)
Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Its fleet consists of 1,480 buses covering an area of in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are over 300 bus routes serving 12,216 stops, including 2,398 bus shelters. In fiscal year 2009,...
on Route B30
Route B30 (WMATA)
Route B30 is a bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Greenbelt Metro Station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro...
every 40 minutes 6am-10pm weekdays and 9am-10pm on weekends.
The Maryland Transit Administration's Bus Route 17 serves BWI 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During the hours when the Light Rail operates, buses operate to the Patapsco Light Rail Stop. When the Light Rail is not in service, buses operate to Downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and...
.
MTA Commuter Bus route 201 connects BWI with Norbeck, Shady Grove Metro Station, and Gaithersburg.
Howard Transit
Howard Transit
Howard Transit is the primary public transit system in Howard County, Maryland, which grew from the former ColumBus bus system in Columbia, Maryland...
's Silver route operates between BWI and The Mall in Columbia hourly at most times except overnight.
Annapolis Transit
Annapolis Transit
Annapolis Transit is a public transportation service of the Annapolis, Maryland Department of Transportation. It provides six city fixed route services, one commuter bus to provide access between Annapolis and its suburbs, and one commuter bus to provide access between Annapolis and...
's Route C-60 operates between BWI and Annapolis.
Highway
BWI is located at the southeast terminus of Interstate 195Interstate 195 (Maryland)
Interstate 195 is an Interstate highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Metropolitan Boulevard, the highway runs from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Linthicum north to I-95 in Arbutus, where Metropolitan Boulevard continues north as Maryland Route 166 ,...
, a spur route providing connections to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
The Baltimore–Washington Parkway is a highway in the U.S. state of Maryland, running southwest from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. The road begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 50 and Maryland Route 201 near Cheverly in Prince George's County at the D.C...
and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
.
Rail
BWI Rail Station
The Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Rail Station is an Amtrak and MARC commuter rail train station in Linthicum, an unincorporated area in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States....
is located about a mile from the airport terminal; a free shuttle bus connects the train station and airport terminals. The station is served by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
trains and, on weekdays, by the MARC
MARC Train
MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
Penn Line. Travel time by train is about ten minutes to Baltimore's Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (Baltimore)
Pennsylvania Station is the main train station in Baltimore, Maryland. Designed by New York architect Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison , it was constructed in 1911 in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture for the Pennsylvania Railroad. It is located at 1515 N...
and thirty-five minutes to Union Station
Union Station (Washington, D.C.)
Washington Union Station is a train station and leisure destination visited by 32 million people each year in the center of Washington, D.C. The train station is served by Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail services as well as by Washington Metro subway trains and local buses...
in Washington, D.C. Trains depart at least once an hour seven days a week, with departure times during rush hours and business hours being significantly more frequent.
The Maryland Transit Administration
Maryland Transit Administration
The Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
's Light Rail
Baltimore Light Rail
The Maryland Transit Administration Light Rail is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and the surrounding suburbs.In downtown Baltimore it uses city streets...
line has a stop just outside the entrance to the airport's International Terminal. Passengers can take the Light Rail to a variety of destinations in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
, and can transfer to the Metro Subway
Baltimore Metro Subway
The Baltimore Metro Subway, known locally as the Metro Subway, The Subway, or Baltimore Metro is a rapid transit line serving the greater Baltimore, Maryland, United States area and operated by the Maryland Transit Administration...
in Baltimore, or to either of MARC's Baltimore terminals. A ride downtown takes approximately 30 minutes. Trains run every 20 minutes during peak hours, and 30 minutes all other times.