• A Trump-appointed airport board member is spearheading a push to modernize Dulles International Airport, framing it as part of a broader 'beautification' effort for the nation's capital.
  • The airport's approved 25-year master plan includes a new midfield concourse set for 2026, a complete runway reconstruction in 2027, and a major baggage system upgrade.
  • Efforts to rename the airport after former President Donald Trump have resurfaced in Congress, while the airport authority focuses on restoring critical international routes, including direct flights to China.

A Trump administration appointee to the board overseeing Washington D.C.'s airports is making a forceful case for a sweeping modernization of Dulles International Airport, criticizing its iconic but aging mobile lounges as an embarrassment to international visitors. Trent Morse, appointed to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) board, has been a vocal advocate for redevelopment, aligning the push with former President Donald Trump's campaign themes.

"We have people movers from the 1960s that are an embarrassment for people coming to our nation's capital from around the world," Morse said during recent Senate testimony, according to people familiar with his remarks. His efforts are part of a broader initiative he has described as supporting Trump's goal for "beautification" in Washington.

The criticism comes as the MWAA board moves forward with a massive, 25-year master plan approved in July 2025. The plan is not a wholesale replacement of the mobile lounges in the immediate term but outlines a phased expansion of the underground AeroTrain system that would eventually render them obsolete over decades. For now, the airport is working to rebuild its existing fleet of the distinctive lounges to serve until the entire airport is connected by train.

Current construction is already underway on the first phase of the new Midfield Concourse E/F, a 14-gate facility being built atop the AeroTrain station. It is on track for completion in 2026, with costs estimated between $500 million and $800 million. This concourse is designed to replace the outdoor boarding areas at the older Concourse A.

Perhaps the most significant near-term disruption for airlines and passengers will be the complete reconstruction of Runway 1R-19L, one of the original runways from the airport's 1962 opening. Work on the 11,500-foot runway is slated to begin in early 2027 and last approximately a year, marking its first major rebuild in over six decades. During construction, traffic will be shifted to Dulles's two other north-south runways. An upgrade to the airport's baggage system is also scheduled to start that same year.

Parallel to the physical redevelopment, a political effort to rename the facility has regained momentum. A new bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2025 to rename Dulles as "Donald J. Trump International Airport," renewing a similar proposal that failed to pass in April 2024. MWAA leadership, including CEO Jack Potter, has remained focused on operational and economic recovery, describing 2025 as "a turbulent year" but expressing bullishness on the airport's future trajectory.

A key component of that economic health is restoring strong international connectivity, particularly to China. In a significant development, Air China resumed nonstop service between Dulles and Beijing in March 2025 with twice-weekly flights—the airline's first direct service since the pandemic began. These flights, operating on Boeing 747 aircraft, are among the longest scheduled flights globally, with the return trip from Dulles to Beijing taking nearly 17 hours. China remains the only country that has not returned to pre-pandemic operating levels at Dulles.

Looking further ahead, the master plan envisions several additional midfield concourses, a new south terminal, and a potential fifth runway. The authority is also advancing sustainability projects, including a 100 MW solar and battery facility that began construction in 2023, which will be the largest of its kind at a U.S. airport. MWAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the political push for modernization or the renaming effort.