Washington Dulles Airport Gets Approval for $19.9 Billion Upgrade that Will Phase Out Its People Movers

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on Wednesday gave the green light to the almost $20 billion plan to upgrade Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport.

The project will officially get underway in late 2027 and includes major upgrades, such as a $6.2 billion reconstruction of the main terminal and new concourses around the airport.

The upgrades will also feature $3.75 billion allocated for the construction of new underground tunnels and an expansion of the airport’s AeroTrain system. That will finally phase out the “People Mover” mobile lounge tarmac vehicles that are notorious for slow transit times and bottlenecks between concourses.

Tunnel construction is set to begin in early 2029, with the full overhaul scheduled for completion by 2034.

While the goal is to complete the construction without interrupting operations, passengers should still expect some disruptions throughout the next few years. These will likely include temporary detours through security and ticketing halls, gate reassignments, changes in drop-off and parking access, and ongoing reliance on the current mobile lounges until the $3.75 billion AeroTrain expansion and central walking tunnels are fully operational.