A VIP terminal with private security screenings and hotel-like lounges is coming to Dulles International Airport in a couple of years, the airports authority announced Tuesday.
Travelers who don’t mind paying extra for the service will be able to go straight to the VIP terminal before their commercial flights, away from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said.
“You are basically welcomed to the terminal, your bag is taken away. You never see your bag again until you get to the destination. We look after the bag. We process all that. The passenger then just comes into what’s effectively like a hotel,” said Michael Martin with daa International, the company chosen to develop, lease and operate the VIP terminal at Dulles.
The 37,000-square-foot terminal will feature private TSA-style screenings for domestic and international travelers and access to suites, lounges and other amenities.
When it’s time to board, VIP customers will get a limo ride directly to their plane, Martin said.
“What we will do is when it’s time for your flight, ‘Do you want to be on first or last sir or madame?’ And we will take you in an executive limousine up to the aircraft, and we will escort you up the steps to your seat in the aircraft. And then you take it from there,” he said.
Travelers Glenn and Joline told News4 they hope the addition of a VIP terminal will lead to more space for them in the traditional terminals.
”If you got the money, it’s great. Most of us are kind of in the economy mode,” Glenn said.
”I think it’s fine. You know, if you are willing to pay for it and have those extra benefits, why not?” Joline said.
Daa international hasn’t said yet how much it will cost to use the VIP terminal, but there will likely be a range of packages, including a subscription service.
The terminal will be built on a 1.2 acre site near the airport’s cargo buildings. Construction will take about 2-and-a-half years.
Daa international will operate the new facility under a 20-year lease.
