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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

Compiled by

Baltimore, Maryland (United States)
IATA: BWI ICAO: KBWI
Longest Active Runway
10,503 ft
3,201 meters
Field Elevation
146 ft
45 m MSL
Runway Inventory
3 active
1 closed, Lighted / Paved
Coordinates & Class
39.1754°, -76.6683°
LARGE AIRPORT
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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →
RunwayFacts Published Dataset
#447 of 650
In curated primary commercial index
Global Commercial Universe
#716 of 7558
Top 9.5% percentile worldwide
National Standing (United States)
#46 of 63 in US
#137 of 2020 in full national registry
vs Large Airport Median
+5%
Compared to 10,000 ft baseline
💡 BWI in numbers: 10,503 ft longest runway · #447 of 650 published · #716 of 7,558 worldwide (top 9.5%) · #46 in United States.
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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is the primary domestic traffic workhorse of the Chesapeake region. Its 10,502 ft runway 10/28 easily accommodates widebody charter and scheduled international flights, while intersecting runway 15R/33L provides crosswind coverage against Atlantic cold fronts. Located at 146 ft elevation, BWI offers superior turn-around efficiency and slot availability compared to slot-controlled DCA.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments
Three active runways: primary Runway 10/28 (10,502 ft), secondary Runway 15R/33L (9,500 ft), and general aviation Runway 15L/33R (5,000 ft).
Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities
Opened in 1950 as Friendship International Airport, renamed Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall in 2005. Transformed by Southwest Airlines into its primary East Coast mega-station.
Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role
Busiest passenger airport in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, offering low-cost domestic point-to-point connections contrasting with long-haul international Dulles (IAD).
Data Nuances & Operational Quirks
Direct rail connectivity via the BWI Amtrak/MARC station makes it an intermodal hub; approaches to Runway 33L pass over suburban residential corridors under strict noise abatement.
📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) · FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record & NFDC Surveyed Aeronautical Data · AirNav BWI Master Record ↗
Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft
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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

BWI lies at 45 m (146 ft), #403 of 650 published airports by elevation and 32.7 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 461 ft below the United States median (607 ft, 63 airports); COS is highest at 6,187 ft, 6,041 ft higher than BWI.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

2 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Closest of 2 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbours within 100 NM: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), 39.2 NM, 11,500 ft. Next: PHL 78.2 NM. PHL has the radius's longest runway, 1,497 ft more than BWI.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 10,503 ft (3,201 m)

BWI runways: 10/28 10,503 × 150 ft asphalt (asp); 15R/33L 9,501 × 150 ft asphalt (asp); 15L/33R 5,000 × 100 ft asphalt (asp). National standing: #46 of 63 in United States; DEN leads by 5,497 ft (16,000 ft). +5% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator Length (ft / m) Width (ft / m) Surface Material Lighting Status
10/28 10,503 ft (3201 m / 3.201 km) 150 ft (46m) Asphalt (ASP) ✅ Lighted ✅ Active
15R/33L 9,501 ft (2896 m / 2.896 km) 150 ft (46m) Asphalt (ASP) ✅ Lighted ✅ Active
04/22 6,000 ft (1829 m / 1.829 km) 150 ft (46m) Asphalt (ASP) ✅ Lighted ⛔ Closed
15L/33R 5,000 ft (1524 m / 1.524 km) 100 ft (30m) Asphalt (ASP) ✅ Lighted ✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name IATA Distance Longest Runway Lighting
Washington Dulles International Airport (Dulles) IAD 39.2 NM (72.6 km) 11,500 ft ✅ Lighted
Philadelphia International Airport (Philadelphia) PHL 78.2 NM (144.8 km) 12,000 ft ✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →