The Airports Authority was established to operate as a financially self-sustaining entity with the mission to manage and enhance Washington, D.C.'s two-airport system.

The daily operation of the airports, their central administration, their police and fire departments and their payroll are not funded by tax dollars.

Operating costs are paid through aircraft landing fees, rents for use of terminals and other facilities and revenues from concessions and parking.

In 2008, the Airports Authority’s responsibilities were expanded to include the operation of the Dulles Toll Road and management of the construction project to extend the metropolitan Washington region's Metrorail mass transit system for 23 miles (37.01 kilometres) from the existing East Falls Church station in Virginia to Dulles International Airport and beyond into Loudoun County, Virginia.

The authority's headquarters is located less than 1 mile (1.609 km) from Reagan National Airport in the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington County, Virginia.

[15] MWAA constructed a Silver Line extension of the D.C. Metrorail system, which completed the long-awaited rail link between downtown Washington, Tysons, Reston, Dulles Airport, and eastern Loudoun County.

A rail and maintenance yard on 90 acres (36.42 hectares) of airport-owned property was also built to serve the needs of the entire Metro system.

[17] Virginia law also grants concurrent jurisdiction to the Arlington County Police for Reagan National Airport.

[20] As an example, firefighters from National Airport were among the first responders to the Pentagon following the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 during the September 11 attacks.