Dulles surpasses Reagan National in passenger traffic

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - Dulles International Airport has surpassed Reagan National Airport in passenger traffic.

Both airports serve the greater Washington, D.C., area and are run by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

For years, the airports authority has tried to direct the majority of its growth to Dulles, where billions of dollars have been spent on infrastructure improvements. In recent years, though, more passengers have gone to Reagan, which sits within the region’s urban core.

The airports authority announced Tuesday, though, that in 2018 Dulles surpassed Reagan in passenger traffic. Dulles had 24.1 million passengers in 2018, while Reagan had 23.5 million passengers.

Dulles saw a 5 percent increase in passenger traffic while Reagan, which is operating at capacity, saw a 2 percent decrease.