Information on Dulles (IAD)

There is no luggage storage at Dulles. Does the Air and Space museum check luggage? Also, check to see if the Greyhound bus station still has lockers. It is on the metro line.

There's no storage at the Udvar-Hazy Center and they screen you on the way in.

For the record, the OP wants to store luggage at Dulles Airport, so the Air and Space museum info would not help him at all. Another bit of info that is useless in this circumstance, but might help someone else...........both buildings of the National Gallery of Art as well as the Library of Congress will check suitcases. They both have the same scanning machines that airports do, so the suitcases have to be able to fit in those machines.

For the record, the OP said he wanted to store his luggage 'some place' while he visited the museum. There is none at the airport and none at the museum. That leaves only some pesently unknown place between the two if such exists - - or a detour to another place.

Thanks, Ed. I thought I read "some place" as well. Sometimes the suggestions do end up being useless as are the posts pointing it out. :-)

There is a Marriott at the airport, a few minutes walk from the main terminal. I don't know whether they would store your bags for a few hours for a fee, but it might be worth a call. Their number is 1-703-471-9500. Other than that, I think you are out of luck.....

Gregory, A couple thoughts but since I don't know where your journey starts and ends, they may not be practical. If you are originating at IAD and returning to TX, you could consider shipping your luggage via FedEx instead of checking your bags with United. I have no idea how much this would cost, but they do offer luggage services. Another thought is to get on hotwire.com and rent a cheap car. You could put your luggage in the trunk and drive over to the museum. They do charge $15 for parking at the museum. There used to be some small lockers at the Udvar-Hazy, but I have not been there recently and I don't know if they would hold a suitcase. Even if you are allowed to carry something in, it would be searched first as they do that at all the Smithsonian museums.

It would definitely help to know the details of your travel plans. Are you originating in IAD or are you just connecting through the airport?

Thanks for all the posts people. I'm probably out of luck, but I will call Dulles Information today as a last try. I flying into Dulles on Monday 11/3/11 landing in the afternoon. My intention was to checkout of my B&B 9am on Friday 11/7, head back to the airport for my late afternoon flight to Paris, and then use my free time to tour the museum. Since I have to checkout by noon anyway, the day is pretty well shot for any in town sightseeing since I will dragging my luggage around. "The best laid plans of mice and men" etc... :) Greg

Greg - would the B&B hold your suitcase for you for the afternoon or is it just not a feasible solution based on the location?

No doubt they would, but the museum is 20 miles away, out by the airport, with a subway change, and two bus changes each way. I would have to go out, come back and go out again to catch my flight, so that's why I would like to make that trip just once if I could find away... Greg

Greg,
I'm not sure where your B&B is located, but is it possible to rent a car for the day (or the night before you check out) and use it to get yourself to Dulles? It might be a bit of an expense, but the Udvar-Hazy Center near the airport is amazing. If you are staying closer to DC that week, you could probably pick up a rental at Reagan National airport or somewhere else in the DC area and drop it off at Dulles. As someone else suggested, you could store you luggage in the truck while visiting the air and space museum during the morning (opens 10am) , then drop the car at one of the Dulles rental companies and catch their free shuttle back to the terminal for your departure.