PICKUP OVERVIEW
Where to pick up at DCA.
Picking someone up at Reagan National? Find Terminal 1 and 2 curb rules, garage meetups, ride-app zones, taxi dispatch, and Metrorail connections.
CURRENT DCA CONDITIONS
Airport conditions
Airport-wide FAA delay status and the latest aviation weather observation. Use ArrivalCue’s homepage tracker for a flight-specific pickup plan.
CHOOSE YOUR PICKUP
Choose your pickup
Choose the situation that matches your pickup at DCA.
A friend or family member is driving to Terminal 1
Terminal 1 pickup
- Traveler
- Meet on the ground level at the agreed outside point.
- Driver
- Use the outer curb only for the active handoff, with the far north end as the airport’s less-congested suggestion.
A friend or family member is driving to Terminal 2
Terminal 2 pickup
- Traveler
- Send the Arrivals-level door number after you have bags.
- Driver
- Use the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level outer curb only after the traveler is ready.
The driver is meeting the traveler inside
Garage meetup
- Traveler
- Tell the driver which terminal you are using before they park.
- Driver
- Use Parking 1 or 2 when the pickup cannot be a quick curb handoff.
Uber, Lyft, or a taxi
Commercial pickup
- Traveler
- Use the app-assigned outer-curb zone or terminal-specific taxi dispatch location.
- Driver
- Ride apps and taxis follow different terminal-specific pickup locations from private cars.
PICKUP AND WAITING LOCATIONS
Where to wait or park
Open the place you need before entering the terminal area.
TERMINAL 1 PICKUP
DCA Terminal 1 ground level
Private pickup on the ground-level outer curb.
Open DCA Terminal 1 ground level in Google Maps ↗TERMINAL 2 PICKUP
DCA Terminal 2 Arrivals
Private pickup at Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level; agree on a door.
Open DCA Terminal 2 Arrivals in Google Maps ↗PARK TO MEET INSIDE
DCA Parking 1 and 2
Garage option for a non-curbside meetup.
Open DCA Parking 1 and 2 in Google Maps ↗DCA-SPECIFIC DETAILS
Important details
DCA is terminal and level specific
Terminal 1 private pickup is on the ground level; Terminal 2 private pickup is on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level.
Use a garage when the handoff will not be immediate
DCA’s curb rules require active loading, while Parking 1 and 2 provide the alternative for an indoor meeting.
Sources
Airport guidance can change. Follow current signs and staff instructions. Review dates apply to the source facts listed in our guide data.
- DCA meeting passengers ↗Source facts reviewed August 25, 2026
- DCA ground transportation ↗Source facts reviewed August 25, 2026
- DCA taxi service ↗Source facts reviewed August 25, 2026
- Official DCA airport website ↗