Plain links today · Disclosure
DCA vs IAD (2026): parking, rental cars and hotels compared
Ronald Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles are about 23 miles apart. Figures below come from the FAA (boardings), each airport's own parking and rental pages, and OpenStreetMap hotel locations — checked Oct 26, 2026. We never invent a price.
| DCA | IAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | Washington Dulles International Airport |
| City | Arlington, VA | Dulles, VA |
| FAA boardings rank (CY2025) | 28 · 12,003,594 | 22 · 13,859,569 |
| Cheapest official parking / day | $25(Economy Parking) | $20(Economy Parking Lot) |
| Official lots on our page | 3 | 3 |
| Rental brands (airport list) | 9 | 6 |
| Verified hotels nearby (OSM) | 25 | 25 |
| Way.com page | Yes | Yes |
| SpotHero page | Yes | Yes |
| ParkSleepFly page | Yes | Yes |
Official parking lots
| DCA | Kind | Daily | IAD | Kind | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Parking | Economy / long-term | $25 | Economy Parking Lot | Economy / long-term | $20 |
| Terminal Garage A (Garage 1) | Garage | $35 | Garage 1 & 2 | Garage | $25 |
| Terminal Garages B/C (Garage 2) | Garage | $35 | Terminal Parking | Garage | $40 |
Every rate is copied from the airport's own parking page and dated on our DCA parking and IAD parking pages. Hotel locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Guides for each airport
FAQ
How far is DCA from IAD?
About 23 miles between the airports in our nearby-airport graph (sourced with the airport coordinates). Driving time varies by traffic.
Which airport is busier, DCA or IAD?
IAD ranks higher by FAA final CY2025 passenger boardings: DCA is #28 in Busiest US airports · ranked by public data (12,003,594 enplanements) and IAD is #22 in Busiest US airports · ranked by public data (13,859,569).
Which has cheaper official parking, DCA or IAD?
On the published daily rates we copied from each airport's own parking page (checked Oct 26, 2026), IAD is lower at $20/day (Economy Parking Lot) versus DCA at $25/day. Rates change; confirm on the official pages.
Do DCA and IAD list the same rental car brands?
DCA lists 9 brands and IAD lists 6 on their official rental pages (checked Oct 26, 2026). See each airport's car rental page for the names.
How many hotels are near DCA vs IAD?
OpenStreetMap lists 25 verified hotels near DCA and 25 near IAD within each page's search radius (checked Oct 26, 2026). Distances are straight-line.