United Airlines Adds 2 More Gates at Growing Washington Dulles Hub
United Airlines is bursting at the seams at its once-quiet Washington Dulles hub, adding two more gates to its facilities there to support its recent ramp up in flights.
The Chicago-based Star Alliance carrier is now using two gates in concourse Z – Z9 and Z10 – for additional United Express flights, United’s Dulles base chief pilot James Simon said in a recent employee newsletter viewed by The Points Guy.
“Growth in our existing footprint would have been challenging, so we needed the extra gate space during our mega bank in the evening,” he said in the June 19 newsletter.
United spokesman Charles Hobart confirms the additional gates at Dulles, which the company began using on June 7.
The airline is in the midst of a growth spurt as it seeks to recapture what it sees as its natural domestic share. System capacity will be up as much as 5.5% this year, and 6% in 2020, with a focus on building connections over its mid-continent hubs in Chicago, Denver and Houston.
Related: The 8 Best Credit Cards for Flying United
United is growing north-south connections along the East Coast at Dulles. It has added service to 16 destinations, including Chattanooga (CHA), Tennessee; Ithaca (ITH), New York; and Miami (MIA) from the airport since June 2018, according to Diio by Cirium schedules.
The carrier has also added new international routes, including flights to Tel Aviv (TLV) that began in May.
Combined, United will operate 6.2% more flights at Dulles this year compared to in 2018, Diio schedules show.
Now, those flights need somewhere to park.
United has preferred use of roughly 75 gates at Dulles, including part of concourse A and all of concourses C and D. These gates are full during what is known at the airline as the “mega bank” around 5pm, when the majority of its flights to Europe depart, but are underutilized during the majority of the rest of the day.
The two Z gates will support additional flights during that mega bank.
United is considering adding flight banks – when a large number of flights arrive and depart within a certain period to facilitate connections – at Dulles to support more north-south connections. It operates four flight banks today, and is considering up to eight banks on peak days.
Related: What Is United Airlines Elite Status Worth in 2019?
"We've grown Dulles pretty aggressively this year, and it's done really well," Scott Kirby, president of United, told reporters in August 2018. He added that keeping costs in check were paramount to further growth.
Dulles operator the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) expects the average cost to airlines to fall below $17 per passenger at the airport this year, a dramatic improvement from a peak of $26.55 per passenger in 2014.
The cost improvements come as United has brought flights back to Dulles. The carrier cut flights at the airport every year from 2007 to 2017, according to Diio. Those cuts, combined with the bill coming due on a number of large investments at the airport like the AeroTrain that opened in 2010, drove up costs.
United is making small investments in its Dulles hub. While there is no plan to replace the aging “temporary” concourses C and D facility, the airline is investing at least $34 million in a new Polaris lounge for international business class passengers on concourse C.
The airline's move into two gates in concourse Z at Dulles is a bit of history repeating. United Express flights operated from the concourse, which has been known at different times as the A, M and T gates, since shortly after opening its hub at the airport in 1986 until the early 2000s.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 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.