Bill Meng wrote:

If you're traveling non-stop from Vancouver, you will be forced to go
thru Dulles. It used to be and as far as I know still is that any flight
over 1200 miles is forced to Dulles, and any under 1200 miles is forced
to National. Congress forced this on the public in order to keep
National open because Congress the Supreme Court and Cabinet officials
get free parking at National, but not at Dulles.


The parking was a side issue; limits were set on Nat'l to move traffic to
Dulles when it was built out in the boonies. Nat'l air traffic is limited
by its runways and was not built to handle any planes larger than the old
Constellations, DC-9's & 727's. The Wright Amendment basically banned all
flights West of the Mississipi, except DFW. Congressmen Wright was also
instrumental in limiting flights at Dallas' Love Field to promote the new
DFW. Flights at Love can only be to Texas or contiguous states, which
became the impetus for Southwest's success.

MTV

Dulles is a much nicer airport.