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

Washington Dulles International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Dulles, Virginia (United States)

IATA: IAD ICAO: KIAD

Longest Active Runway

11,500 ft

3,505 meters

Field Elevation

312 ft

95 m MSL

Runway Inventory

4 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

38.9445°, -77.4558°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #260 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#429 of 7558

Top 5.7% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (United States)

tied #27 of 63 in US

same length as PIT · #93 of 2020 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+15%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 IAD in numbers: 11,500 ft longest runway · tied #260 of 650 published · #429 of 7,558 worldwide (top 5.7%) · tied #27 in United States.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Washington Dulles International Airport serves as United Airlines' transatlantic hub and the premier international portal to the US capital. Its three north-south parallel runways permit simultaneous independent instrument landings, while the 11,500 ft center runway (01C/19C) handles maximum gross weight departures to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Positioned 313 ft above sea level, IAD operates with high all-weather reliability across humid summers and winter snow events.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Four active runways: three north-south parallels 01C/19C (11,500 ft), 01L/19R (9,400 ft), 01R/19L (10,500 ft) and east-west crosswind 12/30 (10,501 ft).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1962 as the first American airport designed specifically for commercial jet airliners, featuring Eero Saarinen's landmark main terminal and Mobile Lounges. Master plan protects space for a fifth future runway.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Primary long-haul international gateway for the US National Capital Region, contrasting with perimeter-restricted Reagan National (DCA) and domestic-heavy Baltimore (BWI).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Ample land buffer (12,000 acres) shields IAD from the strict noise curfews imposed on urban airports, permitting round-the-clock heavy widebody transatlantic operations.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) · FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record & NFDC Surveyed Aeronautical Data · AirNav IAD 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)

IAD lies at 95 m (312 ft), #331 of 650 published airports by elevation and 43.8 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 295 ft below the United States median (607 ft, 63 airports); COS is highest at 6,187 ft, 5,875 ft higher than IAD.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Closest of 1 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbour within 100 NM: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), 39.2 NM, 10,503 ft. IAD has the longest runway in this radius, 997 ft over BWI.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 11,500 ft (3,505 m)

IAD runways: 01R/19L 11,500 × 150 ft concrete (con); 01C/19C 11,500 × 150 ft conc-g; 12/30 10,501 × 150 ft concrete (con); 01L/19R 9,400 × 150 ft concrete (con). National standing: tied #27 of 63 in United States with PIT at 11,500 ft; DEN leads by 4,500 ft (16,000 ft). +15% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
01R/19L	11,500 ft (3505 m / 3.505 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
01C/19C	11,500 ft (3505 m / 3.505 km)	150 ft (46m)	`CONC-G`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
12/30	10,501 ft (3201 m / 3.201 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
01L/19R	9,400 ft (2865 m / 2.865 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ 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
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (Baltimore)	`BWI`	39.2 NM (72.6 km)	10,503 ft	✅ Lighted

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