Ronald Reagan National Airport, Washington, D.C.

Pros: Striking design, close to downtown Washington
Cons: Flights are still limited, that irritating 30 minute rule flying in and out of here

Very few airports are places you might want to visit if you didn't have to get yourself down to Gate 23 to catch a redeye flight. For years, Washington's best designed airport was always Dulles, the iconic airport designed by Eero Saarinen. ...

Pros: Beautiful airport, convenient located
Cons: Incessant whining from idiots who move in next door

It's hard to do backflips over something like an airport, but there are exceptions. Dig deep enough and you'll find airports that are really well designed, super convenient, and architecturally beautiful places. There are airports like Washington D.C.'s...

Pros: many airlines, nice location, modern terminal
Cons: can be crowded, no non-stop flights to West Coast

Airport Alternatives - Reagan Airport is located near two other, major airports, in the DC area. These airports include Dulles International Airport (which is located in northern Virginia), and Baltimore Washington International Airport. Dulles ...

Pros: Fairly easy to navigate, bus shuttles to-from gates, Metro stop
Cons: Not an especially fun place to kill time.

For a week in late October, my daughter and I traveled to Washington, D.C. so she could attend a National Youth Leadership Forum workshop on military sciences.

The NYLF people offered to give my daughter a "super discount fare" on Delta...

Pros: Close to the District, Metro accessible
Cons: More expensive, fewer destinations compared with other area airports

Reagan National is a very good airport to use in the DC area. It is the only airport right on the metro (the Washington Subway), and it is only a mile or two from the city center. It is mostly used by people making day trips up the coast to NYC, Philly...