A Guide to Baltimore/Washington International Airport
Quick insights
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is one of the three major airports that serves the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
- It’s located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, about nine miles south of downtown Baltimore and 30 miles northeast of Washington, D.C.
- Priority Pass™ members can use one lounge entitlement to access one participating airport lounge or one complimentary hour at a Minute Suites location.
While BWI is situated just outside of downtown Baltimore, it also serves the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and South Central Pennsylvania. It was named after Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native and the first African American to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice.
Headed to BWI to depart on your next trip or have a lengthy layover? Here’s what to know about parking, terminals, airport lounges and more.
Navigating to and from BWI
There are various methods of ground transportation to get you to and from BWI:
- Taxi: Taxi stands are outside of the baggage claim area on the Arrivals/Lower Level of BWI near doors 5 and 13.
- Rideshare: App-based rideshare service pick-up and drop-off is on the outer curb of the Departures/Upper Level near doors 5, 8 and 12. Consult your rideshare app for a specific meet-up point.
- Shuttle: Hotel and off-airport shuttles may pick up passengers near the hourly parking garage in designated zones only. Contact your shuttle service to confirm the pickup point.
- Rental car: The free airport shuttle service takes travelers to the Car Rental Facility, which is located at Stoney Run Road and New Ridge Road. Arriving passengers can board the shuttle at the inner curb of the Arrivals/Lower Level at doors 1, 11 and 16.
Public transit options
Additionally, there are several forms of public transport that travelers can take to travel to or from BWI:
- Amtrak: The free airport shuttle takes passengers to the MARC/Amtrak station. The Amtrak may be convenient for traveling to or from Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Wilmington and more.
- MTA MARC Train: Take the same shuttle bus listed above to reach this train line, which offers service to Baltimore, Prince George’s County, Harford County, Washington D.C. and more.
- MTA Light Rail: The Light Rail station is outside the lower level of the terminal building, adjacent to Concourse E. You can take it to downtown Baltimore, Timonium and Hunt Valley. To reach Penn Station, exit at the Mt. Royal Avenue stop and transfer to the Penn Station Light Rail.
- MTA Bus: MTA Route 75 connects BWI to Parkway Center, Arundel Mills Mall, Airport 100 Park and the Patapsco Light Rail Stop.
- MTA Commuter Bus 201: This bus route operates between BWI and the Gaithersburg Park and Ride lot. It stops at Concourses A and E, dropping off passengers on the upper level and picking up on the lower level.
- Anne Arundel County Connector: This shuttle bus connects BWI to several other major employers in the area.
Parking options at BWI
BWI offers four different “park-and-fly" options:
- Hourly garage
- Daily garage
- Express parking
- Long-term parking
Passengers may use the free BWI shuttle to navigate from parking garages to terminals. To pick up arriving passengers, you can wait in the free cell phone waiting lot.
Refer to BWI’s website for additional parking information.
When to arrive at BWI
Airport officials typically recommend arriving at the airport two hours prior to your departure time for domestic flights, and three hours prior for international flights. Be sure to account for factors like parking, traffic and holidays as well.
Programs like TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry may help expedite the security process. You can refer to BWI’s website homepage for live security wait times.
BWI airport map
Whether you’re starting your journey at BWI or need to pass time during a layover, you can refer to one of BWI’s airport maps to help you find your way. Locate terminals, restaurants, shops, restrooms, shuttles and more.
BWI terminal information
BWI has one main terminal building with five concourses (A, B, C, D and E). It’s built in a U-shape with the hourly parking garage at the center. Airport roads and ground transportation services are located along the parking garage.
The upper level of the main terminal building includes ticketing services, various restaurants, an observation deck and four different security checkpoints. Arrivals for all concourses are on the lower level.
Because BWI is a single terminal, passengers will need to walk between concourses for connecting flights using walkways. Take note that Concourses A, B and C are not linked airside to Concourses D and E, which means you’d need to re-clear security to travel between them.
Priority Pass lounges at BWI
Priority Pass members will be able to access one participating airport lounge and one complimentary hour at the Minute Suites location, each in exchange for one lounge visit entitlement.
The Club BWI
The Club BWI is on the upper level Concourse D, near gate D10. It’s also accessible to travelers in Concourse E (passengers in all other concourses would need to re-clear security). Airport guests who don’t have Priority Pass memberships may purchase a day pass for The Club BWI.
Some of the lounge amenities include:
- Complimentary snacks and beverages
- Workstations
- Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi
- Digital newspapers and magazines
- TV channels and flight information
Lounge access is permitted three hours prior to departure, and children under two are admitted for free.
If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve® credit card or are interested in applying for one, you may be eligible for complimentary Priority Pass membership as a credit card benefit (note that the card has an annual fee).
Minute Suites BWI
Minute Suites are private suites that may allow travelers to sleep, relax or work prior to departing flights, during layovers or in the event of delays/cancellations. The Minute Suites BWI location is in Concourse C, between gates C3 and C5.
Amenities include:
- One daybed (sleeps two)
- Pillows and blankets
- A workspace
- Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi
- A smart TV
- Amazon Alexa (for music, white noise, alarms, flight tracking, weather and more)
Minute Suites access is a Priority Pass travel-related benefit in addition to airport lounge access. Members may use one lounge entitlement in exchange for one complimentary hour at any Minute Suites location. For details on savings on longer stays, please visit Priority Pass Benefits – Minute Suites.
To reserve a suite in advance, you can visit the Minute Suites website. A minimum stay of at least 1-hour and 15 minutes must be booked in order to reserve online and guarantee suite availability prior to your arrival. Reservations are recommended as private suites may be in high demand, especially during peak travel times, in the event of mass cancellations and/or delays, etc.
Please note that complimentary one-hour reservations are not available to be booked online and may only be booked in person, at time of arrival, and are based upon availability.
Things to do at BWI
Have a layover at BWI? Here are a few things you can do to pass the time within the airport grounds:
- Visit the Observation Gallery: Located pre-security near security checkpoint C, the Observation Gallery includes a 28-foot rocket provided by NASA in addition to a range of other rotating objects and exhibits. Guests can also consider visiting Sky Azure, a trendy bistro within the Observation Gallery.
- Get your steps in: BWI includes a full-service gym with showers (subject to entrance fee), a cardio trail that leads you throughout the airport and a Hiker-Biker Trail outside on the airport grounds.
- View airport art: There are airport art galleries throughout the concourses and the Observation Gallery. Combine two activities in one and use the cardio trail to view art along different sections of the airport.
- Enjoy some family time: There are children’s play areas in the Observation Gallery and the D/E Connector.
In summary
BWI serves a range of surrounding metro areas and provides multiple convenient ground transportation options for travelers. Even if you’re at BWI for an extended layover, there are plenty of options for eating, shopping, relaxing or even sleeping.
This article contains the most up-to-date information at the time of publication. Details since publication are subject to change. Visit Priority Pass' official website for the most up-to-date benefits information.
