coopa_troopa

Can anyone tell me the nearest airport to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC?

Thanks.

Englishtart

Dulles Intl is about 40 mins drive from downtown

Giantaxe

Reagan International is right across the Potomac from the Lincoln Memorial:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um...ed=0CCAQnwIwAQ

penguinsix

Reagan National DCA is what you want. You could walk to the Lincoln (well sort of. About a mile or two, but there is a sidewalk). BWI and Dulles are further out. BWI has train service to Union Station and from there on to the metro over to Lincoln. Dulles is a bus to the Metro.

coopa_troopa

Thanks all. Very helpful

oldmanriver

funnily, i found the back steps of the lincoln monument a great place to stand and watch the planes coming on to land at reagan..

S Folinsky

Note that it is NOT "International Airport." It has long been known as "National Airport." In fact, if you call it "Reagan Airport," many people won't know what you are talking about. BTW, the flight security at National Airport is quite strict -- the seatbelt don't get out your seat" regime is in effect for 30 minutes before landing and for 30 minutes after takeoff. The airport is simply too close to a target rich environment for terrorists.

penguinsix

DCA also has one of the trickier "approaches" of any major airport. Depending on the wind, you either land from the South (usually during the day, boring) or from the North (usually in the evening, quite fun). Planes follow the River, and turn to avoid a large building in Virginia and duck around the monuments. It's definitely not a 'slow and straight' approach but one that pilots actually have to do quite a bit of work right, left, right, left, right, land.

If flying to National, on the way in, sit on the 'driver's side' as if it was a US car, i.e. the left. If flying out of National, sit on the 'passenger's side' as if it was a US car, i.e. the right. The reason? If you go out or in the Northern route, you'll get a stunning view of the monuments, White House, and the Capitol.

Giantaxe

It's also the airport where the infamous Air Florida "ice on the wings" flight 90 crash happened on takeoff in '82. The plane ended up in the Potomac River:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Florida_Flight_90