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.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.