Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

The only US major airport with a Metro stop — and one with a handsome Art Deco terminal

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), in southern Arlington, is one of the most conveniently situated major airports in the United States — a direct Metro connection on the Blue and Yellow lines puts the centre of DC twenty minutes away. The proximity to the capital creates a unique sight at Gravelly Point, the small park just north of the runway perimeter, where aircraft land and take off directly overhead at low altitude.

The 1941 Terminal A building is a rare intact Art Deco airport structure, with a semicircular plan and original detailing. Even if departing from the newer terminals, it's worth walking over to see.

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Terminal A at Reagan National is one of the last great Art Deco airport buildings in the United States — opened in 1941, it has a semicircular terminal building, original tile work, and a clock tower that was considered a model of modern airport design. It was largely bypassed by expansions in the 1960s and largely intact as a result. The FAA has required it to be preserved as a historic structure.

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