Dulles covers roughly the southwestern third of Sterling, Virginia (another unincorporated community).

The usage of Dulles as a community name began in the mid-1980s when Loudoun County economic development officer Pam Treadwell successfully lobbied[1] the United States Postal Service to allow Sterling businesses and residents to use Dulles as an alternative address.

[citation needed] The addresses for shipping parcels to United States embassies and consulates, as well as their employees worldwide, are located in Dulles.

[4] In 2007, AOL announced that it would move its headquarters from Loudoun County to New York City, though it would continue to operate its Virginia offices.

[5] Before its dissolution, FLYi, Inc./Independence Air (originally Atlantic Coast Airlines) was headquartered in Dulles.