The new concourse opening Tuesday at Dulles International Airport comes with several luxury amenities, including a United Airlines lounge dedicated to busy D.C. travelers and a plane meant to elevate trans-Atlantic flights.
Many loyal United customers and Chase cardholders will have access to the luxurious new United Club at Concourse E, one of the largest lounges in North America. The Dulles club is second in size only to the United’s Houston-based lounge.
“One thing that I particularly love about this club location is how we’ve woven a lot of local influence into the design of the space,” said Aaron McMillan, the managing director of hospitality programs at United Airlines.
Whether it’s the Metro-inspired brutalist square block entrance with a mural of the U.S. Capitol dome, or the cherry blossom branches suspended from the ceiling, McMillan told WTOP, “It just feels like you’re in the D.C. metro area, and we hope customers take note of that when they’re here.”
There are also plenty of practical features in the 40,000 square foot lounge, including a buffet, espresso machines, a full-service bar and seating for over 600 flyers.
“We’ve got everything in between to work and be productive. There’s power at every seat. Just trying to think of those thoughtful touches,” McMillan said.
Other unique amenities include “Phone Rooms” which resemble an old-school phone booth without the actual pay phone but instead plenty of outlets.
“A nice private space for customers to take a quick phone call,” McMillan said. “If they need to have a private conversation, they can do so without all their neighbors hearing.”
Each seat — whether at a high-top table, booth or armchair — has incredible views of runways and open sky.
“The floor-to-ceiling windows are amazing. There’s a side that looks toward the D.C. area, but another side that looks back toward the Blue Ridge Mountains,” McMillan said. “Great views, and if you’re an aviation geek, you can watch airplanes all day long.”
As service continues to ramp up at Concourse E, the United Club will open from 5:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.
The new lounge will not be the only taste of luxury coming to Concourse E. Starting in December, United’s sleek narrow-bodied Airbus A321XLR will fly from there to Amsterdam and Dublin.
The narrow body means there is only one aisle in the plane, a rarity for aircraft that cross the Atlantic. Peter Wolkowski, the director of onboard products at United Airlines, told WTOP it allows the carrier to unlock smaller cities that have a slimmer demand and “give customers in the United States a chance to get to these secondary markets in Europe without having to make a connection.”
Like its wider-bodied counterparts, its United Polaris business class seats lie down flat, and have a stall door for greater privacy. It is also the first aircraft with wider seats in the premium plus economy section.
The 118 seats in the economy class are also seeing an upgrade with a 13-inch 4K OLED screen with Bluetooth capabilities, so you can connect your AirPods or other headphones and not rely on wired freebies.
The Airbus includes a new feature that has never been tried in the U.S.: one row where the middle seat is blocked off with an extra table and cupholders. The airline is calling it Economy Plus Open Middle.
“For customers looking for a little bit more shoulder space, elbow space, it’s a perfect option for them without having to upgrade to a different cabin,” Wolkowski said.
And if you get peckish in between meal services, there’s a fully functioning snack bar in the rear of the plane. The Airbus A321XLR will have an additional route to Toulouse, France, in 2027.
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