Washington, District of Columbia · field elev 312 ft

Density Altitude at Washington Dulles International (KIAD)

Washington Dulles International sits at 312 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (88 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,220 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,220 ft station: WASHINGTON DC DULLES AP · 1 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at WASHINGTON DC DULLES AP (1 mi from the field) · standard pressure, dry air
Month Avg temp °F DA at avg temp Afternoon high °F DA on a typical afternoon
January 33.9 −1,296 ft 42.6 −695 ft
February 36.4 −1,122 ft 46.1 −457 ft
March 44.2 −586 ft 54.8 126 ft
April 55.0 139 ft 66.8 911 ft
May 64.0 730 ft 75.0 1,435 ft
June 72.5 1,276 ft 83.1 1,942 ft
July 77.2 1,574 ft 87.6 2,220 ft
August 75.7 1,479 ft 86.3 2,140 ft
September 68.6 1,027 ft 79.3 1,705 ft
October 56.6 245 ft 67.8 975 ft
November 46.0 −464 ft 56.5 239 ft
December 37.7 −1,032 ft 46.5 −430 ft

▲ above 5,000 ft · ⚠ above 8,000 ft. These are planning references at standard pressure and dry air — afternoon humidity and low pressure both push the real number higher. Run today's values below.

Run today’s numbers for KIAD

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,245 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,245 ft

Field elevation 312 ft — the air behaves like 2,245 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
313 ft
ISA DEVIATION
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RULE-OF-THUMB DA
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AIR DENSITY INDEX
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AIR DENSITY
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WATER · GRAINS/LB
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For training and reference · verify with official sources and your POH before flight · no tool on this site renders a go / no-go judgment

Nearby District of Columbia fields

All District of Columbia airports →

Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KIAD in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 88 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Washington Dulles International reaches roughly 2,220 ft at standard pressure. Hotter-than-normal days, low pressure, and humidity all push it higher, so run the day's actual numbers before flying.

What is the density altitude at KIAD on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,296 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,574 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 312 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Washington Dulles International?

312 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KIAD (ICAO) / IAD (FAA), in Washington, District of Columbia.