Designing an Immersive 360° Tour of Dulles Airport for United Airlines
United Airlines tasked our client to create an interactive 360° web tour to bring Washington Dulles terminal online. The goal? To give their remote support call center staff an understanding of the size and scope of air travel through a large international hub such as Dulles International Airport, without having to step foot inside the airport themselves.
Under the creative direction of Pebble Hill Films and our agency partner VR Creative Concepts, our team captured all 360° content, created all of the animations and sound design, and programmed the web experience.
The finished tour was designed to bring together 360° photography, animation, and code in one experience to feel less like watching a video and more like moving naturally through the terminal.
The Challenge
Airports are some of the hardest and most complex environments to capture and translate into a digital experience. They’re large, always moving, and full of mixed lighting and reflective materials, which are all elements that make sense in person but are difficult to replicate accurately on a screen.
Most digital formats, like video or renderings, flatten that experience. United wanted the opposite: a way for people to understand how the Dulles terminal actually works, such as how the space moves and sounds, connects, and feels in use. This was important to capture accurately so the call center staff could empathize with their customers and understand their experience.
The project needed to serve both as an informational resource and as a brand extension. It had to capture the scale and design of the terminal, perform efficiently across devices, and maintain the tone associated with United’s brand.
Our main priorities were:
Visual consistency: Matching color, light, and exposure across multiple terminal zones shot under different conditions
Realistic portrayal of the airport experience: The sights and sounds were all captured live in the airport
Ease of navigation: Simple, intuitive movement that doesn’t require instructions
Brand alignment: Clean, organized interface that feels unmistakably United
In short, the challenge was to take a massive, active environment and make it interactive, accurate, and effortless to explore, without losing its sense of realism.
The Concept
The experience begins outside the terminal, with Dulles’ iconic architecture, a short introduction, and a simple prompt to begin exploring. Once inside, viewers can pan and move freely through each location, following the same path a traveler would take in real life. Transitions are clean and direct, designed to feel more like walking through the airport than clicking through a website.
The interface is intentionally minimal and secondary to the visuals. A small row of circular icons along the bottom links to each area, allowing quick navigation without distracting from the visuals. Additional panels and “Common Questions” appear only when selected, keeping the focus on exploration.
An interactive moving map can also be toggled on and off during the travel videos, showing viewers exactly where they are within the terminal as the video progresses.
The Dulles 360° Tour follows the natural order of travel:
Check-In → TSA Security → United Lounges → United Gate → Airplane → Baggage Claim
While the full walkthrough of terminal areas is listed above, the user has the freedom at any time to move freely from any location to any other location via the map or navigation bar at the bottom.
Each area transitions naturally into the next, creating an efficient flow. The experience starts wide and open, narrows through security and boarding, then expands again upon arrival. The pacing mirrors real travel, so navigating the tour feels less like browsing a website and more like moving through the terminal itself.
Design Approach
Our focus was on clarity, accessibility, and realism. The goal was to present the terminal as it truly feels without exaggeration or distortion.
Each 360° scene was optimized for consistent color and lighting, so transitions between areas aren’t disconnected. Interactive elements were placed to make the experience intuitive: hovering highlights icons, scrolling adjusts zoom, and all controls remain responsive on desktop.
Impact
The Dulles 360° Tour extends United’s physical space into a digital space that’s clear, accessible, and reliable from anywhere.
It gives their staff an efficient visual guide to help their customers have the best flying experience they can.
Most importantly, it’s an example of how design, storytelling, and technology can work together to communicate large real world spaces, making them understandable and approachable without losing their scale.
Services Provided
Creative Direction
UX / UI Design
VR/360° Capture
VR/360° Footage Editing & Stitching
Sound Design
Deliverables
Responsive 360° virtual tour
Desktop browser support
Six primary locations: Check-In, TSA Security, United Lounges, United Gate, Airplane, and Baggage Claim
Branded interface consistent with United’s design system
While the tour is not public facing, feel free to reach out if you’d like us to guide you through the United Airlines Dulles Airport Tour. And, if you’re interested in exploring what immersive environments can do for your own space, story, or brand, we’d love to show you more! Check out our VR portfolio to see additional virtual reality and 360° experiences we’ve built, and reach out anytime if you have ideas or needs for your next interactive project.
