Spring is just around the corner and summer is following right behind that. Which means, its time to start planning your vacations. Coming to DC can be a great low cost vacation with tons to do. But, before you book your flight we got some tips for you. There are actually three airports in the DC area and some are easier than others, which means you can literally come from anywhere to DC and go from DC to anywhere in the world! But, all that can make getting to the sites a little tricky. That’s where we come in. This week, we’ll take a look at some different ways to get into DC and let you know a few tips on making the trip easier. Today is part three: BWI Airport!
Flying into DC
There are three airports in the area and you may be flying into one and out of another. The number one choice is Reagan National which we talked about earlier. It may be a little pricier to fly into, but our biggest tip about flying into DC is to take into account the time and money it can cost to get to/from any of the other airports. That said, if you find yourself flying into BWI Airport, here’s a little info to help you on your way.
BWI Airport
The Baltimore Washington International Airport is probably the cheapest to fly into. A massive hub for Southwest Airlines. If you fly the friendly skies with this lower cost airline, there is a strong chance you’ll be landing at BWI. It typically has the greatest variety and time options out of any flights. But, keep in mind, it can be far from the city, even further than Dulles Airport. At 32 miles from downtown DC, it can be a trek and you are at the mercy of traffic with no dedicated road like Dulles. It’s typically a 45 minute ride, but with traffic, that can swell to over an hour.
The Metro Bus offers an option to get there for just a few bucks. The 3B line leaves often from the Greenbelt Metro station and can be a reasonable option if you aren’t in much of a rush. There are shuttle options as well (like Super Shuttle, which we’ll talk about). But, our main choice is the train. Both Amtrak and the regional provider, MARC provide regular service to the BWI train station daily from Union Station or the New Carrolton Metro Station. Typically it can take just 30 minutes to get there, plus a 5-10 minute drive from the train station to the airport terminal. It’s usually stress free and if you are traveling MARC, it can cost you as little as $6! The other option is the Super Shuttle which we talked about yesterday in the Dulles Airport profile.
Eating at BWI Airport is a different story. They have a ton of food options and some of them rather good. It is in Maryland which if you’ve ever seen the movie Wedding Crashers, you know crab cakes and football are big here. To satisfy your crab cake fix, the legendary Phillips Seafood has a post here serving up some great crab while you wait for your flight. Then there is the fantastic Obrycki’s Restaurant and Bar. Originally opening in Baltimore’s historic Fell’s Point neighborhood, Obrycki’s gives Phillips a run for its money. For the football, they have the Green Turtle or Home Team Sports Bar with plenty of TVs to watch the game.
At the end of the day, BWI is a huge airport and usually the cheapest to fly into. With great food options and plenty of flights its a fine option. But, like Dulles Airport, its pretty far outside the city. And, when you have a place like Reagan Airport so close to the city, you’ll want to do your best to fly there.
