Boeing to move headquarters from Chicago to Washington, DC, area
Boeing's days as a Chicago-based company are drawing to a close. The aerospace giant is set to relocate its headquarters to the Washington, D.C., area.
Boeing will move to Arlington, Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington, it said on Thursday. The company already has a large campus in Arlington, nestled between the Pentagon and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). It's located close to Amazon's HQ2, which is under construction, making Arlington an already bigger hotbed for large companies.
"We are excited to build on our foundation here in Northern Virginia," Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said in a statement. "The region makes strategic sense for our global headquarters given its proximity to our customers and stakeholders, and its access to world-class engineering and technical talent."
While Boeing is often associated with its large commercial aircraft operations in the Puget Sound region around Seattle, the company hasn't been based there since 2001, when it moved to 100 North Riverside Plaza, across the Chicago River from the Loop.
Boeing said it will continue to maintain a presence in Chicago. No date was given for the move.
The move was first reported Thursday by The Wall Street Journal and later confirmed by The Washington Post.
Moving its headquarters to the D.C. area will bring top company leaders closer to three key constituencies: Congress, which has increasingly taken interest in the company since the grounding of the 737 MAX; the Federal Aviation Administration, which has increased its oversight of the planemaker as it seeks to certify the 777X and other MAX variants and the Department of Defense, a massive customer.
The company said it had been in talks with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Sen. Mark Warner about the move.
More: Boeing finds launch customer for 777X freighter
The move was a long time coming. Boeing moved its defense business from the St. Louis area to Arlington in 2017. In October, a Reuters report called the Chicago headquarters, which had 513 employees based there in 2020, a "ghost town." For its move to Chicago, Boeing received 20 years of tax incentives from the city, which are soon expiring.
"The signs were there for all to see if you were looking," journalist Scott Hamilton, who closely covers Boeing, wrote on Thursday.
Photo of Boeing's facility in Arlington, Virginia, by Scott Olson/Getty Images.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees