Map of Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI)

Baltimore/Washington International Airport sits in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, about 9 miles south of downtown Baltimore and 31 miles from Washington, DC. It is one of the three major airports serving the Baltimore-Washington region. Driving in is simple: I-195 leads straight to the terminal loop.

Interactive Baltimore Washington Airport Map

This interactive map covers BWI and the area around it. Zoom in to find the terminal loop, the hourly and daily garages, the cell phone lot and the rental car facility on Stoney Run Road, or zoom out to check driving routes from Baltimore and Washington. The static map above shows the inside of the terminal; this one is for everything outside it.

Baltimore Washington Airport Terminal

Baltimore Airport has a single terminal with five concourses, labeled A through E. The most useful thing to know before you fly: the concourses form two separate security zones. A, B and C share one airside area, while D and E share another, so once you clear security you can walk freely within your zone but not between the two.

Concourses A and B belong to Southwest Airlines, with about 30 gates between them and a direct airside connection to each other and to Concourse C. This is the busiest side of the airport, and it has the widest choice of restaurants and shops.

Concourse C handles domestic flights for Southwest and American Airlines across 14 gates, numbered C1 to C14. It sits in the same secure zone as A and B, so passengers can walk over for more food and seating without going through security again.

Concourse D is where the other domestic carriers fly: Delta, United, JetBlue, Spirit and Alaska all use its 22 gates, which run up to D29 with a few numbers skipped. The Club BWI lounge sits near Gate D10, and the concourse connects airside to Concourse E.

Concourse E is the international side of BWI. British Airways, Condor and Southwest’s international flights depart from here, and arriving international passengers clear passport control and customs in this concourse. Since D and E share a security zone, international travelers can also use the shops and lounges in D.

Every concourse offers free Wi-Fi, charging stations, family restrooms, nursing rooms and pet relief areas, and there is a children’s play area in the D/E connector. Check-in, security screening and most pre-security shops sit on the upper level of the main terminal; baggage claim and ground transportation are below.

Baltimore Washington Airport Car Rental

The BWI rental car facility sits on airport property at Stoney Run Road and New Ridge Road, a free shuttle ride of about five minutes from the terminal. Shuttles run 24 hours a day and board at Doors 1, 11 and 16 on the arrivals level, coming by roughly every 10 minutes. Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Hertz, Alamo and several other brands share the same building, so every pickup and return happens under one roof.

When you bring the car back, follow the Rental Car Return signs on the airport approach roads, or set your GPS to 7432 New Ridge Road, Hanover, MD 21076. After drop-off, the same shuttle runs back to the terminal; leave yourself an extra half hour before your flight for the return and the ride.

From BWI the region opens up quickly by car. Downtown Baltimore and the Inner Harbor are 15 to 20 minutes north on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD-295), and Washington, DC is roughly 45 minutes south on the same road, longer in rush hour. Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay are about half an hour east via I-97.

Baltimore Washington Airport VIP Lounge

BWI has a lounge, private rest suites, a military center and even an airport gym, and the right one for you depends on your concourse: The Club sits in the D/E security zone, Minute Suites in the A/B/C zone, and the USO is on the public side, before security.

The Club BWI is on the upper level of Concourse D, next to the Dunkin’ by Gate D10, and admits travelers from any airline. The 2,200-square-foot lounge seats about 50 people across quiet rest areas, a work zone and a self-serve food and drink section, with runway views and complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks. Priority Pass and LoungeKey members enter free, walk-in day passes are sold when space allows, and entry opens three hours before departure. Concourse E passengers reach the lounge through the D/E connector; from A, B or C you would need to clear D/E security first.

Minute Suites rents private cabins by the hour between Gates C3 and C5 in Concourse C, each with a daybed that sleeps two, a workstation, a smart TV and Wi-Fi. They suit naps and quiet work; this location has no showers. Priority Pass covers the first hour for a member and one guest, though a small cleaning fee still applies, and you need a boarding pass for Concourse A, B or C to get in.

The USO International Gateway Lounge serves military travelers from a 5,000-square-foot space on the lower level at the international end of the terminal, before security. It opens daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and includes a sleeping room, a family room and a snack bar. Active duty personnel, National Guard, reservists and their dependents enter with a valid military ID; retirees are welcome on a space-available basis.

For something more active, ROAM Fitness runs a full gym with showers just past the D/E checkpoint, the first post-security airport gym in the US.

Hotels in Baltimore Washington Airport

No hotel connects directly to the BWI terminal, but more than a dozen sit within about three miles of the airport, most of them with their own free shuttles. The closest cluster is in Linthicum Heights, just north of the terminal.

The Westin Baltimore Washington Airport is about 2 miles out and runs a free shuttle around the clock; inside there is a glass-enclosed indoor lap pool, a WestinWORKOUT gym and the Luminous restaurant. DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore – BWI Airport sits a 5 to 10 minute drive away with its own free shuttle and an on-site restaurant, and it doubles as a popular park-and-fly base. Hyatt Place Baltimore/BWI Airport includes free breakfast for every guest, while its sister property Hyatt House BWI Airport runs a shuttle between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m. that also serves the BWI Rail Station and the light rail stop. Fairfield Inn & Suites, Country Inn & Suites and SpringHill Suites are among the other nearby options with free airport shuttles.

Hotel shuttles pick up from the marked waiting area outside baggage claim on the lower level. Most BWI hotels send the van on request, so call the front desk once you have your bags instead of waiting at the curb, and check each hotel’s shuttle hours against your landing time when you book, since not all of them run overnight.

Baltimore/Washington Airport Location

Baltimore/Washington Airport Address: 7050 Friendship Rd, Baltimore, MD 21240, United States.

Baltimore/Washington Airport IATA: BWI.
Baltimore/Washington Airport ICAO: KBWI.