Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
History, Facts and Overview

(Baltimore, Maryland - MD, USA)

In the mid-1940s, plans were afoot for an airport in the area. Land covering more than 3,000 acres / 1,215 hectares was soon purchased on the southerly outskirts of the city, within the Anne Arundel County. In 1957, the airport opened and was named as the Friendship International Airport. Commercial Baltimore flights soon began, following by jet-powered Boeing charters in 1957.

In 1973 and now owned by the Maryland State Aviation Administration, Friendship International was renamed as the Baltimore Washington International Airport and facilities were updated, costing more than $30 million. In 1979, a modern passenger terminal opened, effectively doubling the overall capacity.


The following year saw the arrival of the BWI Rail Station, which offers a convenient train link to the network of the Northeast Corridor (NEC). In 2005, the airport became known as the Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), being named after a famous local African American member of the United States Supreme Court.

Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) features several ATM machines and Travelex desks within its terminal, along with WI-FI Internet access. Postal and communication facilities are extensive and there is a huge variety of restaurants, cafés and bars, not to mention dozens of quality stores and duty-free outlets to explore, such as Bon Voyage Luggage. If you have time, be sure to visit the onsite Youth Art Gallery, where more than 20 regional schools in Maryland exhibit their paintings and drawings.

Meeting rooms can be reserved at CK's Catering and Conference Room, as well as at the Friendship Center. Some airline lounges at Baltimore Airport also feature both business facilities and conference rooms, such as British Airways, US Airways and United Airlines, while the large airport hotels can host sizable functions.