Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, also known as BWI, is operated by the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Aviation Administration. BWI is located southwest of the center of the city of Baltimore. The airport has five concourses -- four domestic and one international -- with a total of 74 gates. From BWI you can also easily get to Washington, D.C., through a bus that goes directly between the two locations.
Martin State Airport (MTN) is a small airport located a short distance from the center of downtown Baltimore. It was founded by Glenn L. Martin, an aviation constructor and designer, who originally purchased the land as a manufacturing site for his company. In 1939, construction of three runways began. Despite the airport's small size, it still has a runway that is larger than any at BWI. In 1975, MTN was sold to the state of Maryland.
Baltimore/Washington International Airport has regularly scheduled flights to international and domestic locations via a dozen different airlines. Tickets for flights on BWI can be purchased from the individual airlines or at any website that sells airline tickets. Martin State Airport does not have regular commercial flights. It is used by private pilots of small planes and helicopters. Check with the airport directly if you are interested in flying into there to see what options are available.
Baltimore is within an hour of the Washington region, so other options are available in addition to BWI and MTN. In Arlington County, Virginia, is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which is less than 60 miles from Baltimore. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Chantilly, Virginia, is just a little farther from Baltimore than DCA.
