Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport frequencies

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA · KDCA) in Washington, DC is a towered field, staffed 24 hours. Every frequency below is in the order you tune it, from the first call to the handoff on climb out. · Open on the map

All of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport — runways, frequencies, charts and live weather

Before taxi Washington

ATIS 132.65
A recorded loop of the field's weather, active runway and any notices, updated hourly or whenever conditions change. Listen before your first call, and tell the controller which letter you have so they do not read it to you again.
ASOS/AWOS 132.65
An automated weather station reading the field conditions aloud — wind, visibility, ceiling, temperature and altimeter. It replaces ATIS at a field with no controller to record one. Get the altimeter setting before you descend below the transition altitude.
Clearance 128.25
Clearance delivery issues your IFR clearance, and at busier fields your VFR departure instructions and squawk code. Call before you request taxi, with the ATIS letter and your intended direction of flight.

Taxi & takeoff Washington

Ground 121.7
Ground control owns every taxiway and inactive runway on the field. Call for taxi with your position and destination on the field. You need an explicit clearance to cross any runway, including one that is not in use.
Tower 119.1, 121.275 (HELICOPTERS)
Tower owns the active runways and the surrounding surface area. Call before entering the surface area inbound, and hold short until you are cleared to take off or to cross.

Departure Potomac

Departure 118.95 (WEST · CLTCH · HORTO · JDUBB +4 more departures), 125.65 (EAST · BOOCK · DOCTR · HOLTB +2 more departures)
Departure control is the radar facility working aircraft climbing out of the area. Tower hands you off after takeoff. Check in with your altitude leaving and your assigned altitude.

Arrival Potomac

Approach 119.85 (WEST/SOUTH · CAPSS · IRONS arrivals), 124.2 (EAST), 124.7
Approach control is the radar facility sequencing arrivals into the area. Call inbound for flight following or an instrument approach, with your position, altitude and request.

Also

UNICOM 122.95
A ground station run by the FBO rather than the FAA, for fuel, parking and airport services. Use it for services. Where the field has no separate CTAF, the same frequency doubles as the advisory frequency.
Flight service 122.2
Flight Service handles briefings, flight plans and en route advisories, reached here through a remote outlet. Open and close VFR flight plans, and get updated weather in the air. 1-800-WX-BRIEF reaches the same specialists from the ground.
Emergency 121.5
121.5 is the international emergency and distress frequency, monitored continuously. Declare on it if you are in trouble, and monitor it as a second radio when you have one free.
By procedure & sector (19 more)
118.675FRDMM STAR, NUMMY STAR, TRUPS STAR
118.95CLTCH DP, HORTO DP, JDUBB DP, NATIONAL DP, REBLL DP, SCRAM DP, WYNGS DP
119.85CAPSS STAR, CLASS B (WEST/SOUTH), IRONS STAR (DCA ONLY)
120.45TIKEE STAR
124.2CLASS B (EAST)
124.55DEALE STAR
125.65BOOCK DP, DOCTR DP, HOLTB DP, NATIONAL DP, SOOKI DP
128.7CLIPR STAR, SKILS STAR
239.25APCH/P (WEST/SOUTH), CAPSS STAR, CLASS B (WEST/SOUTH), IRONS STAR (DCA ONLY)
243.0EMERG
257.2CLTCH DP, DEP/P (WEST), HORTO DP, JDUBB DP, NATIONAL DP, REBLL DP, SCRAM DP, WYNGS DP
257.6GND/P, LCL/P
306.925TIKEE STAR
307.9CLIPR STAR, SKILS STAR
317.425DEALE STAR
323.175FRDMM STAR, NUMMY STAR, TRUPS STAR
338.2FINAL APCH
348.725BOOCK DP, DEP/P (EAST), DOCTR DP, HOLTB DP, NATIONAL DP, SOOKI DP
360.8APCH/P (EAST), CLASS B (EAST)
Every KDCA frequency, as one table
ATIS132.65
ASOS/AWOS132.65
Clearance128.25
Ground121.7
Tower119.1, 121.275 (HELICOPTERS)
UNICOM122.95
Flight service122.2
Emergency121.5
Approach119.85 · WEST/SOUTH · CAPSS · IRONS arrivals
Approach124.2 · EAST
Approach124.7
Departure118.95 · WEST · CLTCH · HORTO · JDUBB +4 more departures
Departure125.65 · EAST · BOOCK · DOCTR · HOLTB +2 more departures

Frequently asked

What is the tower frequency at KDCA?

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport tower is 119.1, 121.275 (HELICOPTERS), calling "Washington Tower". The tower is staffed 24 hours.

What is the ground frequency at KDCA?

Ground control at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is 121.7. You need an explicit clearance from ground to cross any runway while taxiing, including one that is not in use.

What is the ATIS frequency at KDCA?

ATIS at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is 132.65. Listen before your first call and report the letter you have.

What is the approach frequency for KDCA?

Approach for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is 119.85, working as "Potomac" (WEST/SOUTH · CAPSS · IRONS arrivals). Call inbound for flight following or to begin an instrument approach.

Where do I get my clearance at KDCA?

Clearance delivery at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is 128.25. Call before requesting taxi, with the current ATIS letter and your direction of flight.