Once known as “Friendship International Airport” (after a local church) and still on Friendship Road, Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is one of 3 airports in the Baltimore/ Washington metropolitan area. (The other 2 are Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport – DCA - and Washington Dulles International Airport – IAD). Airline allegiance and route may determine which area airport you choose, but BWI often wins out for me thanks to convenience and amenities. This guide will help you navigate BWI like a pro.
BWI serves more than 27 million passengers annually with approximately 300 daily nonstop departures to about 90 domestic and international destinations. The top carriers at BWI are Southwest Airlines, which has more than 5,200 employees based here and occupies Concourses A, B, and C, and low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines.
How to get to and from BWI
BWI is 9 miles south of downtown Baltimore (aka Charm City) and 32 miles from Washington, DC. Getting there is pretty straightforward by car, taxi or rideshare. If you’re picking up or dropping off a rental car, you’ll need to take a free shuttle to or from a remote car rental facility, so be sure to build in time for that step of your journey.
Public transportation is often less expensive than driving. For Baltimore travelers, light rail runs between BWI and downtown with a station just outside the lower level of the terminal building by Concourse E.
For DC-bound travelers, a free shuttle connects BWI to the Amtrak/MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) train station around the clock (every 10–15 minutes during the day, every 25 minutes overnight), with service to Union Station in Washington, DC, Baltimore’s Penn Station and other regional destinations. Various bus options serve nearby towns as well.
I’ve taken both Amtrak and the MARC commuter line from BWI to DC and find that MARC trains run more often and are a bit less expensive than AMTRAK.
How to navigate BWI Airport
BWI is split into five concourses (four domestic and one international/swing). Concourses A, B and C are all connected, so you can pass through any of their security checkpoints to access all three. Concourses D and E are served by a separate D/E security checkpoint.
Here’s something important: there’s no post-security connection between Concourses A, B, C and the D, E Concourses. That’s fine if you’re just headed to your gate, but you may want to access services or amenities in the other terminal section.
Official airport policy allows your same-day boarding pass for access to either section, though moving between the A/B/C secure zone and the D/E secure zone requires exiting security and re-screening at the appropriate checkpoint. However, my experience has been that some TSA officers will try to turn you away if you show up at the checkpoint with a boarding pass for the other section. If that happens, be polite, explain what you’re doing and ask to speak with a supervisor if necessary.
Where to eat, drink and shop at BWI
With over 60 dining locations, you won’t go hungry at BWI. You can find local craft beers, regional wines and Maryland specialties like crab cakes, steamed crabs and oysters. Keep an eye out for the Launch Pad program, where local, minority and women-owned small businesses sell unique Baltimore and DC-made goods.
Concessions at BWI must comply with the airport’s street pricing policy, which means prices charged at the airport must match what you’d pay in town. Knowing that, I make a point to arrive at BWI early to shop, drink and dine.
Lounges and premium services at BWI
The Club BWI is a shared-use lounge on Concourse D, near Gate D10, with seating for about 50 people. Day passes are available. The lounge admits Priority Pass, LoungeKey, and Lounge Club members. The Chesapeake Club on the upper level of Concourse E (the international terminal) serves eligible British Airways and other oneworld premium-cabin passengers and elites, operating daily from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., aligned with BA’s evening departures to London. You can access either lounge through your airline status, credit card benefits or lounge membership programs.
Spas and other services at BWI
If you need to nap, work or just escape the chaos, Minute Suites on Concourse C (near Gate C3) rents private suites by the hour. They specify it’s for passengers with flights departing from Concourses A, B or C. However, if your flight departs from Concourses D or E and don’t mind going through security again, they’ll welcome you.
BWI is home to ROAM Fitness (near Gate D1 in Concourse D), a rare airport gym with cardio, weights, stretching space, lockers and shower rooms. Your gym fee includes complimentary rental of lululemon workout apparel and Brooks running shoes, or you can work out in your own gear and the gym will vacuum seal it before you leave so it doesn’t stink up your carry-on. Brilliant! Day passes are available.
Traveling with kids and accessibility at BWI
Kids will enjoy inspecting the airport’s giant stained-glass crab and the play area in the pre-security Observation Gallery. There’s also a post-security play area in the Concourse D/E connector.
BWI’s award-winning restrooms
BWI recently upgraded the restrooms in many parts of the airport and did such a good job that it won America’s Best Restroom contest in 2023.
BWI’s winning loos have murals at the entrances, seating areas where passengers may wait for their companions, and fully enclosed stalls for privacy. They also have private nursing rooms, adult changing tables and family restrooms. A red-light/green-light smart system with LED stall indicators shows you which stalls are free, with digital displays at entrances showing real-time availability, so you don’t have to do that awkward peek under the door.
BWI’s unique attractions and local culture
BWI has a lot of personality and some cool things to see that you won’t find at other airports. It’s worth exploring if you have the time.
BWI’s namesake: Who was Thurgood Marshall?
The airport takes its name from Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native who became the first African American to serve on the US Supreme Court in 1967. There’s a tribute exhibit about his life and work before security near the Concourse C checkpoint.
Art at BWI
BWI has an extensive collection of permanent and temporary art and history exhibits pre- and post-security that I make a point to visit each time pass through.
My favorite is the giant, stained-glass Maryland Blue Crab that hangs over the Concourse A security checkpoint. It’s one of the most iconic symbols in the state, weighs about 550 pounds and is one of the largest stained-glass sculptures in the world.
The Observation Gallery at BWI
If you have some time to kill before your flight, head upstairs to the pre-security Observation Gallery adjacent to Security Checkpoint C on the Departures Level. Most people rush right past it, but it’s a hidden gem with aviation exhibits, a kids’ play area, an art gallery and great views of the airfield.
You can see real aircraft parts, model planes, a 28-foot-tall NASA research rocket and a half-sized model of the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft. It’s way better than just sitting at your gate.
BWI’s rocking chairs
BWI has rocking chairs in the Observation Gallery and in many spots throughout the terminal. The rocking chairs are great for relaxing, of course, but you’ll find most rockers pulled over by the windows offering perfect perches for planespotting.
BWI Airport Cardio Trail
To help travelers stretch their legs, BWI has marked two 1K American Heart Association Walking Paths called Cardio Trails — the Terminal Loop (pre-security) and the Concourse A/B Loop (inside the secured area). Each takes about 20 minutes to walk. I’ve done both and always spot something new along the way.
You can pick up a walking path map from one of the BWI information desks, follow the Cardio Trail logos on the airport walls or download a brochure with the walking path course from the airport’s website.
Friendship Park and BWI Hiker-Biker Trail
Friendship Park, officially the Thomas A. Dixon Observation Area, is on the south side of the airport, just at the end of one of BWI’s runways. The park has a playground and is a popular spot to watch planes take off and land. Friendship Park is along the 10-mile BWI Hiker-Biker Trail, which encircles the airport and is a popular spot for walkers and runners.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
