Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport

Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (IATA: DFW, ICAO: KDFW) is the primary commercial airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the broader North Texas region. It is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas region, in the U.S. state of Texas. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the third busiest airport in the world, transporting nearly 87 million passengers in 2024. It is the largest hub for American Airlines, which is headquartered near the airport. Located roughly halfway between the major cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, DFW spreads across portions of Dallas and Tarrant counties and includes portions of the cities of Grapevine, Irving, Euless, and Coppell. It has its own post office ZIP code and United States Postal Service city designation ("DFW Airport, TX"), as well as its own police, fire protection, and emergency medical services.

History and Origins

The push for a shared regional airport between Dallas and Fort Worth had a long and contentious history before any ground was broken. As early as 1927, before the area had an airport, Dallas proposed a joint airport with Fort Worth. Fort Worth declined the offer, and thus each city opened its own airport — Dallas Love Field in Dallas and Meacham Field in Fort Worth, each of which had scheduled airline service.

Early attempts at cooperation continued to stall. In 1940, the Civil Aeronautics Administration earmarked $1,900,000 for the construction of a Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport. American Airlines and Braniff Airways struck a deal with the city of Arlington to build an airport there, but the governments of Dallas and Fort Worth disagreed over its construction, and the project was abandoned in 1942. Construction had begun in 1942, but a disagreement over which way the terminal building should face, along with other considerations, caused the airport — then called Midway — to be turned over to the city of Arlington in 1943. It was operated during World War II by the military as a training field and for test flights.

After World War II, Fort Worth annexed the site and developed it into Amon Carter Field with the help of American Airlines. In 1953, Fort Worth transferred its commercial flights from Meacham to the new airport, which was 12 miles from Dallas Love Field. In 1960, Fort Worth purchased Amon Carter Field and renamed it Greater Southwest International Airport (GSW) in an attempt to compete with Dallas's airport, but GSW's traffic continued to decline relative to Love Field. By the mid-1960s, Fort Worth was getting 1% of Texas air traffic while Dallas was getting 49%, which led to the virtual abandonment of GSW.

Not willing to pour more federal money into the two airports in 1964, the Civil Aeronautics Board told Dallas and Fort Worth that they had 180 days to agree on a location for the new airport. The CAB also said that if they failed to reach an agreement, the government would decide where the airport would be. After years of controversy, the two cities agreed in 1965 to build a joint, regional airport that would accommodate jet-age traffic into the 21st century.

Plans for the $700 million first phase of Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport took shape in 1969. Occupying 17,500 acres of prairie midway between the two cities, the jetport would be the largest airport in the world at the time of its construction.

Opening and Early Operations

Before the airlines began flying in and out of DFW, an expansive dedication service took place from September 20–23, 1973, and included dignitaries, entertainers, and the landing of the first Air France Concorde. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, first known as the Dallas–Fort Worth Regional Airport, officially opened on January 13, 1974, when the first commercial flight that day, American Airlines Flight 341, flew from New York to Dallas via Memphis and Little Rock, touching down exactly on time.

The airport opened for commercial service at a cost of $875 million (equivalent to $5.5 billion in 2024), which included $65 million for the land and $810 million in total construction costs. At the time of DFW's opening, its property of 17,500 acres made it the largest airport in the world in terms of land area. At the time of the opening, the airport had only nine operating airlines. In addition, extensive facilities were in business, including a 600-room hotel, a post office, and a few shops and restaurants.

The airport's early years were marked by the presence of two dominant air carriers. Braniff International Airways was a major operator at DFW in the airport's early years, operating a hub from Terminal 2W with international flights to South America and Mexico from 1974, London from 1978, and Europe and Asia from 1979, as well as extensive domestic service before ceasing all operations in 1982. During the Braniff hub era, DFW was one of only four U.S. airports to have scheduled Concorde service; Braniff commenced scheduled Concorde service from Dallas to Washington from 1979 to 1980, using British Airways and Air France aircraft temporarily re-registered to Braniff while flying within the United States.

Following airline deregulation, American Airlines — which had already been one of the largest carriers serving the Dallas/Fort Worth area for many years — established its first hub at DFW on June 11, 1981. The name change from Dallas–Fort Worth Regional Airport to Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport occurred in 1985, promoting continued expansion while acknowledging world recognition.

Terminals, Layout, and Connectivity

DFW consists of a series of opposing semicircular terminals, with the International Parkway and other road systems running in between. On the inside of each semicircle terminal is a parking lot. The airport currently operates five terminals — A, B, C, D, and E — offering varied amenities at each, from clothing stores, gift shops, restaurants, and lounges. The United Service Organization (USO) hosts traveling military and veterans at DFW Terminal B in a 6,000-square-foot facility. Two hotels are located within the airport: the Grand Hyatt in Terminal D and the Hyatt Regency in Terminal C.

Inter-terminal movement is facilitated by the Skylink automated people mover system. Skylink is an automated people mover (APM) system operating at DFW. The bi-directional system connects the airsides of the airport's five terminals. Skylink contains 10 stations (two per terminal) and 4.81 miles of elevated track. The system was opened in 2005 as a replacement for DFW's original APM system, the Vought Airtrans. At opening, it was the world's longest airside airport train system. This free light rail train arrives every two minutes and has a maximum ride time of nine minutes between the farthest points in the airport.

Passengers can also reach the airport by public rail transit. Terminal A's DART Rail station is the western terminus of the DART Orange Line, which connects the airport to Las Colinas and Downtown Dallas. TEXRail also connects the airport from Fort Worth, arriving at DFW Airport Terminal B Station and connecting to the Skylink people mover or Terminal Link shuttle buses for other terminals.

American Airlines and the Airport's Role as a Global Hub

The relationship between DFW and American Airlines defines much of the airport's contemporary identity. The hub that American Airlines operates at DFW is the second-largest single airline hub in the world and the United States, behind Delta Air Lines's hub in Atlanta. American has emerged as a clear market leader at DFW, capturing a 65% market share in 2023, according to the Department of Transportation.

As of April 2023, DFW Airport has service to more nonstop destinations than any other airport in North America. Additionally, 19 cargo airlines provide worldwide freighter service, positioning DFW as a major cargo gateway. As of 2025, it is the eighth-busiest international gateway in the United States and the busiest international gateway in Texas.

Looking ahead, DFW and American Airlines announced significant expansion plans. In 2023, DFW and American Airlines reached a new 10-year Use and Lease Agreement with pre-approved capital investments, including the construction of Terminal F as a 15-gate facility which passengers would access from Terminal E via the airport's Skylink system. Fort Worth-based American Airlines subsequently announced a $4 billion investment in the all-new Terminal F at DFW Airport. Phase one, which broke ground in November 2024, is set to open in 2027. The airport's historic $12 billion capital plan — known as DFW Forward — is set to transform the customer experience with monumental upgrades and expansions underway across DFW's terminals, airfield, and roadway infrastructure.

Economic Impact and Sustainability

DFW Airport functions as a major economic engine for the North Texas region. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport contributes more than $78 billion annually to the North Texas economy and supports more than 684,000 jobs across the region, according to an economic impact study conducted by The Perryman Group. Since 2014, the airport's overall annual economic impact has grown from $46.4 billion to $78.3 billion in 2024 — an increase of about 69%.

On the sustainability front, DFW has established itself as a national and global leader. It is the largest carbon-neutral airport in the world and the first in North America to achieve this status. A new Electric Central Utility Plant will heat and cool terminals using advanced power management equipment to efficiently distribute and use purchased renewable electricity. The airport's sustainability efforts have earned it international recognition, including Level 4+ Carbon Accreditation from Airports Council International.

For the fourth-consecutive year, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport has been recognized for its outstanding customer experience. According to Airports Council International (ACI) World, DFW earned the 2025 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Award, marking its fourth honor since 2022 in the category for large airports serving over 40 million passengers annually.

Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport celebrated its 50th anniversary of service in 2024.