Overview
- The MWAA board approved the $15.5 billion construction budget Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, unlocking a broader $19.9 billion program to modernize Washington Dulles International Airport.
- MWAA officials say the financing plan relies chiefly on about $14.2 billion in new municipal bond issuances plus $1.1 billion in passenger facility charges and other airport revenues, with airlines and the Air Force authority signing on to contribute.
- The plan preserves the Saarinen main terminal while rebuilding Concourses C and D, adding new concourses and replacing the airport’s signature mobile lounges with an underground U‑shaped AeroTrain and improved pedestrian connections.
- MWAA expects construction to begin in late 2027 and to be carried out in phases over roughly 15 years so the airport can remain open; Terminal E work funded with roughly $4.4 billion in federal support is already underway.
- Public reporting shows different total figures for the program — President Trump cited about $22–22.5 billion while MWAA ties the board package to $19.9 billion — and MWAA has disputed earlier passenger‑cost estimates, projecting a more gradual rise in passenger fees over 12 to 15 years.