Trump Calls Dulles One Of The World's 'Worst Airports' While Unveiling $22B In Fixes

DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, VA – Virginia's Dulles International Airport's "sorely needed" refurbishment will include more than 5 million square feet of new or redesigned space, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

Trump announced the overhaul in the Oval Office with a three-dimensional plan of the redesign. His vision involves replacing the C and D terminals; a new, walkable garage with more than 30,000 spaces; new Aerotrain connections; a new hotel; new restaurants and shops and other updates.

Most elements of the redesign plan were previously reported by Patch.

“This transformation is another step in our ongoing efforts to make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful again,” Trump said. “We're doing something with Dulles that's going to make it the top anywhere in the world."

The president predicted the overhaul could take as little as two years and that more than 30 proposals have been considered. The plan could require some approval from Congress, and officials hope to start construction next spring.

Trump also called Dulles Airport "one of the worst in the world" and "badly thought of" over the course of the announcement, during which he also took a swipe at Denver International Airport, saying it wasn't getting "great reviews."

Jack Potter, CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, said the redesign wouldn't require federal funds but would be funded by airlines using Dulles.

Additionally, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the president himself reviewed plans and used his "building skill" to assess the designs.

In July, Potter announced that airlines serving Dulles had signed off on a $22 billion renovation plan that includes expanding the airport’s main terminal, building a new concourse and creating an Aerotrain system linking all concourses with the terminal so Dulles’ “people movers,” true 1960s relics, can be retired, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Trump initially announced his intention to rebuild the airport in December, when he complained that the international hub was “a terrible airport.”

According to CBS and others, Trump was particularly irked by Dulles’ people movers – a mobile lounge transportation system – and its distant parking. CBS also reported that Trump personally reviewed three-dimensional models of proposed renovations by several firms competing for the job and made edits to the plans.

Dulles International Airport originally opened in 1962 and was designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen. It has expanded steadily over the years and now has 131 commercial aircraft parking positions, according to the airport’s website, and serves 46 airlines. Nearly 54 million passengers transited through the airport in 2025. It’s the busiest of the three major airports serving the Washington Metropolitan Area and sees the most international travelers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.