Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (IATA: DCA, ICAO: KDCA, FAA LID: DCA) is a busy airport close to Washington, D.C. named after Ronald Reagan, who was the 40th President of the United States. This airport is the closest one to the nation's capital.
Flights going to or from DCA usually cannot travel further than 1,250 miles (2,010 km). This rule helps limit the number of aircraft flying over Washington, key reason why many longer flights operate from Washington Dulles International Airport.
While DCA does handle some international flights, it lacks its own customs and immigration facilities, requiring flights to originate from airports with preclearance.
"River Visual" Approach: DCA has a unique "River Visual" approach to runway 19, which involves a turn at low altitude, requiring pilots to make a final turn around 200 feet above the ground to align with the runway.
The airport has three intersecting runways: 01/19, 15/33, and 04/22. Runways 01/19 are 7,169 feet (2,185 m) long. Runway 33 is typically limited to smaller aircraft due to its relatively short 5,204-foot-long (1,586 m) surface.
DCA has 59 gates with jetways: 9 gates in Terminal 1 and 50 gates in Terminal 2 (13 gates in Concourse B, 12 in Concourse C, 11 in Concourse D, and 14 in Concourse E).
