Members of Congress Are Losing VIP Parking at D.C.'s Reagan Airport
Members of Congress, international diplomats and members of the Supreme Court used to have it made when it comes to traveling through Washington's Reagan National Airport (DCA). For years, they've been able to use one of 89 VIP parking spots at the airport, which were close to the terminal. As of June 30, however, they'll be losing that VIP parking access to construction crews working on an airport expansion.
In the past, all 435 members of the US House of Representatives and 100 senators in addition to the Supreme Court members and international diplomats were given passes to use the VIP parking spaces. The preferred spaces are located across the street from the airport's parking garage A and are separate from the public garages, giving pass holders a quicker way to get from their car to the terminal.
As of June 30 and through 2021, those premium parking spots will be unavailable while construction contractors working at the airport make use of the space. This isn't a political move — instead, the spaces will be used for the contractors to access their worksite and store equipment and supplies. DCA is undergoing a $1 billion investment called Project Journey to accommodate more passengers.
The news isn't all bad, though, as Federal legislators can still park for free at DCA in garages. According to records obtained by NBC Washington, members of Congress used this free benefit hundreds of times in 2015, costing taxpayers more than $132,000. So while the VIP travelers won't have the closer of the parking options, they'll still be able to get preferred parking at a preferred price.
