Funding relies on $14.2 billion in new bond issuances
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board on Wednesday approved a $15.5 billion budget for Washington Dulles International Airport, advancing the renovation project proposed by President Donald Trump.
The board’s action clears the way for the Revitalizing Washington Dulles International Airport Project, an initiative the Department of Transportation launched in December. The project includes $3.75 billion for new underground tunnels that will replace the airport’s shuttle system, the renovation of Concourses C and D, and $6.2 million for the reconstruction of the main terminal.
At a White House briefing last month, Trump said more than 5 million square feet at the airport will be either new construction or renovated space. He described the airport in its current condition as “a terrible place to be.”
In July, Trump said the estimated cost of the project is more than $20 billion — a figure that exceeds the $15.5 billion budget the airports authority board approved this week.
According to MWAA’s report, about $14.2 billion of the funding will come from new bond issuances, with $200 million from grants and $1.1 billion from Passenger Facility Charges — fees that travelers pay for using the airport. New expenditures specifically included in the budget amount to about $48 million, the report said.
Construction is slated to begin in late 2027, according to the airports authority.