Dallas Love Field has seen more than a doubling of passengers over the past decade. In 2024, the number hit 18 million. And it’s still seen as growing, with another 6 million expected – for 24 million total – just with bigger planes, and planes with higher load factor in the future.
The airport isn’t allowed to build more gates. In fact, there used to be 32 gates. Now there are only 20.
- When Southwest launched, they promoted the ‘loophole’ that let them fly from Dallas Love Field when everyone else was moving to DFW airport. Existing airlines agreed to the move, but Southwest wasn’t a party to it. They were sued, but won the right to fly out of the airport.
- Incumbent airlines, though, got the Wright Amendment passed which limited the flying Southwest could do from Love Field (initially, limiting flying of larger planes to contiguous states, later expanded).
- Restrictions on where an airline could fly were lifted, as part of a deal that also limited how much flying could be done from the airport. That was a double win for Southwest.
- Southwest can fly where it want domestically from Love Field, and almost nobody else can because Southwest controls 19 of 20 gates. Most of those are fully utilized. Delta offers a handful of flights from Love Field, but that’s it.
The airport eliminated gates, and the old Legend Airlines terminal is now a Lincoln Dealership. But what remains of Love Field the facility is going to grow.
- Parking Garage A will be torn down and replaced with a two-level structure. The upper floor will house ticketing, check-in, and security and baggage claim will be on the lower floor. A bridge will connect this new building to the existing terminal.
- The current headhouse will be removed and replaced by support facilities. The existing concourse will be widened by about 50 feet along its full length. The extra width gives room for more seating, restrooms, and concessions. The project has an estimated $1 billion price tag.
- And they are planning lounges which the airport does not have today. According to the Director of Aviation, “We’re looking at how many lounges can we fit in here? Where do they go?”
It’s this last piece that’s super interesting.
- Southwest Airlines has talked about opening lounges! So far CEO Bob Jordan has just mused about it. But they’ve tested sending out Priority Pass cards to co-brand credit card customers. The airline is largely pursuing the business model of American, Delta, United and JetBlue – but lacks the premium offerings of those competitors. So they could be forced to do lounges.
On the other hand, I recently FOIA’d the Austin airport who tells me they do not have any correspondence at all with Southwest about potentially taking some of the new lounge space that will become available in the airport. And Southwest represents about 41% of the 22 million annual passengers that pass through there.
- Dallas Love Field is interesting enough for a bank lounge. It serves almost as many passengers as Austin, which is building space for a bank lounge (Chase has already had test space in the airport, and a Centurion Studio contract was nearly awarded just before the pandemic).
- A Priority Pass-style lounge like The Club would certainly make sense. Another ‘The Club’ is now open at Southwest-dominated Chicago Midway airport.
It’s hard to imagine anything happening in the airport at this point without Southwest’s signoff. While multiple lounges could be in the cards, it also makes sense that one of those could go to Southwest and that wouldn’t require a competitive bidding process. At the very least I have to imagine that current building gives the airline the optionality to open one, though if they decide against there would certainly be other parties interested in the space.
Construction is planned for a 2027 start, and it’s expected to take six years to complete the project.
(HT: Enilria)
Very interesting. Wonder if Southwest will survive to see all this. Quick question, Gary, who’s paying for that $1 Billion price tag? Taxpayers? Elliott (mis)Management (doubtful).
This is awesome news, but it comes without gate expansion which is a crying shame. Meaningful legacy competition at DAL would be a complete game changer for so many people who hate schlepping out to DFW to avoid Southwest.
Separately, I remain very perplexed as to why Delta and Alaska both failed in their endeavors to offer DAL-LAX service; anecdotally those birds always seemed pretty full but I guess not. It makes me wonder if either was properly marketed (I doubt it). I’d love to hear from anyone with inside information on this subject.
@1990 – as the primary tenant at the airport, mostly Southwest, but there’ll be a lot more revenue-generating concessions to offset
Another nail in the coffin as Elliott maneuvers Southwest into oblivion. Guess they are not satisfied with the stagnant price of the Stock. Sad for all the once great Company, the employees and the once very loyal Customers.
Lounges are so over-rated, at least US domestic lounges. They are a fad. Once the public learns the reality, they will become as indifferent to lounges as I am.
Every lounge starts out great until overcrowding and devaluation set in. The process seems inevitable. Lounge operators maximize their short term gain and kill the value to customers.
There are some exceptions. Fiji’s lounge in Nadi is a gem. Christchurch and Queenstown in NZ have nice Priority Pass lounges which are not mobbed.
@nsx at FlyerTalk — You whine about US lounges… then promote Nadi as a ‘good’ example? Nope. Horrible take. I’ve flown Fiji Airways to/from NAN, in Business, and have experienced their lounge. Would waaay prefer DeltaOne in LAX or JFK; Chelsea or Soho with AA at JFK; many of the UnitedPolaris lounges; many Chase Sapphire and Centurions over that mess at NAN. Mediocre.