Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station is a Washington Metro facility located in Arlington County, Virginia, serving both the Blue and Yellow Lines. This elevated and sheltered platform represents the final above-ground Yellow Line stop in Virginia before trains proceed into Washington, D.C..

Among the few stations in the network featuring three tracks—the other being —it is positioned opposite Terminal 2 across Smith Boulevard at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The mezzanine level offers direct access to Terminal 2’s Level 2 (security and gates) through two pedestrian bridges. Connections to Terminal 1 are available via shuttle buses or a pedestrian path. The historic site of the airport's Abingdon Plantation lies nearby.

History

The station commenced operations on July 1, 1977, coinciding with the inauguration of of rail service between National Airport and RFK Stadium, alongside the launch of several other stations including , , and .

At its opening, it functioned as the Blue Line's southern endpoint. Following the Yellow Line extension to in December 1983, it continued as the Blue Line’s southern terminus until the extension to was completed in 1991.

During the addition of a second canopy, trains were routed through the center track—not intended for routine service—resulting in a derailment of a Blue Line train at this switch on January 20, 2003. Although no injuries occurred, this incident caused several weeks’ delay in construction. The center track was originally designed for train turnarounds.

In 2014, while elevator maintenance was underway, a train was temporarily stationed on the middle track creating a "train bridge," which enabled passengers to walk through it to transfer between directions.

In May 2018, Metro announced large-scale platform upgrades across twenty stations. From May through September 2019, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station operated as a temporary southern terminal for both Blue and Yellow Lines due to closures southward. Its platforms underwent reconstruction from August to December 2020.

Between May and September 2019, all train services terminated at this station because of platform renovation work affecting stations further south. Likewise, from September to November 2022, Ronald Reagan Airport station served as the final stop during the connection project for . Potomac Yard station officially opened on May 19, 2023.

Renaming controversy

Despite the airport’s renaming in 1998 from "Washington National Airport" to "Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport," the station retained its original designation. In 2001, twenty-four members of Congress petitioned WMATA to update the station name accordingly. However, a policy established in 1987 required any requesting party to bear expenses related to changing signage and maps. Arlington County declined to pursue the renaming due to an estimated $400,000 cost, and WMATA denied the request on April 19, 2001. In reaction, Republican Congressman Bob Barr from Georgia threatened to withhold federal funds if the renaming was not implemented. Ultimately, Congress mandated the change on November 30, 2001. Subsequently, then-General Manager Richard A. White confirmed that Metro would finance the renaming process.

Station configuration

This station is equipped with two island platforms that accommodate three tracks. During the period from 2022 to 2024, escalator replacements necessitated a temporary adjustment in train operations, where trains stopped at the opposite platforms than usual; for instance, services traveling toward Downtown Largo and Mt Vernon Square utilized the center track on the southbound platform, with the reverse arrangement for other directions.

T Platform level	Southbound	← Template:WMATA icon bound for Template:Wmata ← Template:WMATA icon bound for Template:Wmata
	Island platform
	Center track	No Regular Service
	Island platform
	Northbound	Template:WMATA icon heading toward Template:Wmata → Template:WMATA icon heading toward Template:Wmata →
S	Street level	Entrances and exits; fare gates, ticket vending machines, station manager's office; pedestrian connections to Terminal 2, as well as shuttle and walkway access to Terminal 1