Many travelers will be glad to see the back of Reagan National Airport’s old 35X concourse in Terminal C.
“One of the worst airport gates ever, anywhere, of all time. We hear the Gates of Hell are quite lovely in comparison,” Washingtonian wrote.
“Arguably the worst place in any US airport is Washington National’s Gate 35X,” wrote Gary Leff in View from the Wing.
“The most hated airport gate in America, the most hated of a thing that rarely evokes any emotion whatsoever,” said David Slotnick in The Points Guy.
Yes, it’s been compared to an “inhumane cattle-herding pen with an escalator,” but it was kind of an equalizer, where even if you’re on opposite sides of an argument, somehow you’re sharing the same misery.
Sure the old 35X was universally disliked, but it also welcomed thousands of travelers — from Boy Scouts, to business people, to middle-schoolers on a field trip to D.C., and maybe even you when you came home from a trip. And for that, maybe 35X deserves a proper send-off.
On Monday night, airport staff gathered together to give the last flight out of the gate — American Airlines 5482 to Albany (delayed) — a salute.
You can take a peek at the new concourse, which opens Tuesday, here.
