Washington Dulles (airport code: IAD) is about 25 miles outside of Washington DC. Washington Reagan (formerly known as National), on the other hand, is maybe a mile across the Potomac River, and visible from the Capitol or the White House. Don't get the two airports confused. If you need to drive to Dulles (many rental car agencies will let you drop off your car at either airport without a surcharge), take the free Dulles Airport Access Road. The Dulles Toll Road runs parallel, but you'll need to pay a toll. If you accidentally get onto the Toll Road, there are several onramps from the left lane of the Toll Road that will give you access to the Airport Road. Give yourself at least an hour to get there from DC, and another half-hour if you need to return a rental car, as the drop-off location is about a half-mile before the main terminal.
If you're planning to take public transportation, you can take the Metro to L'Enfant Plaza or Rosslyn and take the 5A Metro bus to Dulles for $3. Note that the 5A line, originally intended to provide inexpensive transportation for airport workers. It was NOT intended to be used by tourists and business travellers trying to save a buck, who now overcrowd the vehicle with their bodies and numerous pieces of luggage. If you're not able to board at L'Enfant Plaza or Rosslyn, you've got an hour wait until the next bus.
If that happens, take the Orange Line Metro to West Falls Church and catch the Washington Flyer connector to Dulles for $9. Or if time is of the essence and you've got money to burn, a you can get a cab or shuttle to take you to Dulles for upwards of $50. Note that a shuttle may pick up additional passengers at other hotels and pickup locations before heading to the airport, so make sure the driver knows your flight departure time.
Getting to the airport is only half the battle. Once you arrive at the terminal, be prepared to wait in long lines at the ticket counter, with little direction or assistance from airport personnel. If you have an international flight on United (or on any other Star Alliance member), the ticketing booth is actually on the REAR side of the ticket counter. You could waste an hour in the main ticketing line only to find out that you should have been in the other! Once you've received your ticket, you'll have to wait in another long line to drop off your luggage at the screening station, as the ticket agents no longer check your baggage at the counter.
Once you've deposited your bags, you'll be directed to another long line to pass through the TSA security checkpoint. Unlike Washington Reagan which has a separate checkpoint for each of its three piers in its main terminal, Dulles has only ONE for the entire terminal. Although there are several lines, it may move excruciatingly slow, especially on Mondays and Fridays. Then, after you've had your luggage and your shoes closely examined, you'll need to board a shuttle bus. If you're lucky, you'll be one of the last standees squeezed onto the bus and it'll depart for the mid-field terminal. If you're one of the first to board, however, you could be cooling your heels for ten to fifteen minutes as the driver tries to fill every square inch of floorspace with passengers. Then it's a short ride to the midfield terminal, followed by a half-mile walk down the corridor to your plane.
Bottom line? Budget enough time to get from DC to the front door of your plane. Three to four hours is good, five is optimal. It's better to arrive at the gate early and catch up on your reading, than to arrive "on time" and miss your flight (most carriers there secure the plane doors five minutes before departure time!).
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