American Airlines and Dallas-Fort Worth announced a lease extension to 2043 and bigger plans for their new terminal F which is under construction.
The initial phase, already underway, opens in 2027. New additions will come online through 2030. That includes more gates, more lounge space, and better functionality.
When first announced, terminal F was being done on the cheap – just 15 gates and it was a satellite terminal. There was no headhouse. In other words, you couldn’t check in there. You’d have to go to a different terminal, clear security, and then take the airport’s train out to the new terminal F. You’d do the same thing when landing.
DFW Skytrain Station
This was going to be inconvenient for anyone originating or terminating in Dallas and using this terminal. Fortunately, they’ve decided to grow the project and massively improve the situation.
- Terminal F will grow to 31 gates, up from 15
- More widebody aircraft support and international arrivals capability
- Addition of a direct walking connection to Terminal D next door so it’s not train-only between terminals, and no longer reliant on Terminal E for access as originally planned.
- New dedicated parking garage with passenger drop off and baggage drop
- Admirals Club and speculated Flagship lounge
- Check-in area in the terminal
DFW Terminal F, Credit: DFW Airport
DFW Terminal F, Credit: DFW Airport
DFW Terminal F, Credit: DFW Airport
DFW Terminal F, Credit: DFW Airport
I’m not sure this is as good as if it had been designed as a standalone terminal initially. Passenger pickup and drop off may not be as easy, and we’ll see what the rideshare and other transportation options look like. But it’s a massive improvement over what had been planned.
American Airlines at DFW
Meanwhile, existing terminal C is under renovation. I still think building the full terminal F, then demolishing and replacing terminal C, would have been the better plan rather than investing in the more than 50 year old dilapidated building. Before agreeing to the renovation that was the position of the airport and its CEO, as well.
DFW Terminal C
This new commitment to an expanded terminal F signals real planned growth in Dallas for American, and planned widebody and international growth as well. I had been quite negative on the project, but I think this plan turns me around and gets me a bit excited about growth opportunities.
What other option does AA have other than to double-down in DFW? They don’t have a single other in that could accommodate major growth. Makes sense. AA will have DFW. DL has ATL and UA is building out DEN.
Agreed. This seems like a good move on AA’s part. The Metroplex will remain the epicenter of economic growth in the United States, and this airport has excellent location to move travellers across the Sunbelt. In this case, the sky is truly the limit for DFW growth. 🙂
DFW will always be an inefficient airport for connections compared to other airports which have terminals all under one roof… but that ship has sailed, AA will continue to spend more on labor at DFW than other airlines do at other airports, and they can make DFW work as a competitive hub.
The biggest hindrance to DFW is that it seems to be subjected to far more disruptive weather events than other hubs.
Good updates, Gary. It’s been a while for me since routing through DFW, but I didn’t have that much trouble with taking the train between terminals. Just as with what they have planned for Newark’s EWR Terminal B, it is much better to use and old parking lot for something bigger and better. Even if we have to wait until the 2030s, if I’m still around and able, I’ll try come through to see it. Gotta keep making things to look forward to!
I remember going to DFW as a 5-year old in 1975 when it was new. We would ride the AirTrain (called something else at the time) and go to the Hyatt or visit the amazing Braniff terminal. It was a thrill as a young kid to visit this new airport. To hear it called a “Dilapidated 50-year old terminal” is tough to hear. When I fly through DFW today (mostly connecting as I have moved away) the original terminals do look old, small and cramped. Oh well, we all age.
@Tim (I just can’t help myself) – How do you feel about ATL (as if we don’t already know – curious to see how you spin it)?
ATL does not have “terminals under one roof.” While DFW is not laid out as a simple row of concourse after concourse, it’s not really laid out much better for connections than DFW is. Getting from F to T (which I get to do about once a month) is not a short trip. It may be efficient relative to the distance traveled, but it is not fast.
For me what makes ATL a better airport to connect through simply because DL is better-run airline in terms of operational performance. And, DL is also better at not scheduling unnecessarily tight connections…a favorite of AA.
@tim — We can agree on something: DFW does seem more prone than most airports to bad weather conditions. I personally always check Dallas weather if I’m flying through there. It would be interesting to see a study on weather-related cancellation percentages at major airports. I would think DFW would be near the top of the list — perhaps even exceeding DEN and ORD.
As someone who really enjoys moseying around airports and exploring, I’m excited to finally be able to walk the whole loop around DFW. Would be nice to see it all be symmetrical too.
Since ATL was mentioned, I’m a big fan of linearity from beginning to end as well, so that also is one of my favorite airport walks to do.
Please stop saying that TX or DFW is the next Hotspot for growth in economy, population, etc. and then you cheap it on crap like this. If you’re going to state something like that during an investor meeting, live up to it; actions speak louder than your stupid slides.
Wait for Southwest to implode and take over the Concourse C space at DEN?
parker,
it doesn’t really matter what I think (but I’ll tell you later since you asked). ATL moves by far more passengers more efficiently and reliably than any other airport on earth.
Your namesake former AA CEO himself said that DFW’s configuration is part of why AA has higher labor costs than other airlines. Having operations spread across multiple terminals with gates largely on only one side of the concourse adds size and inefficiency – and requires duplicative personnel that are not necessary in facilities like UA or AA’s terminals in other cities or DL”s hub in ATL or DTW or any other facility that has essentially one entrance for all of an airline’s domestic flights.
and ATL has been pushed way beyond what the facility was designed to handle but DL has invested in expansion and renovation so that the experience is in comparable to or better than other hubs.
and ATL is connected by a tunnel and train that is joined to each terminal, thus it can be said it is all under one roof. DFW terminals are connected by a train that is outside.
and ATL’s trains are “up” nearly 100% of the time, far higher than DFW or DEN. and you can walk between concourses at ATL, something that can’t realistically be done in DFW or DEN.
DFW is geographically well placed and AA’s hubs is a huge asset. Texas is growing and will continue to be a major economic engine for the country.
DFW is just a less efficient airport than other hubs and it isn’t just ATL.
@Tim Dunn — as long as it’s not Concourse E I’d say it’s pretty extremely to walk between concourses at DFW. But I’m guessing E is why you made your point. ATL I’ve walked length to length in 25 minutes (take that overhead estimated walking time boards!), which I agree is super convenient.
I am glad to see the plans have improved. The first I heard of the original plans for F sounded like a mess. With regards to travel between terminals, at least the Skytrain runs within the secure zone as it connects to all terminals (unlike JFK’s Air train). That said, the Skytrain is an extremely uncomfortable ride as it changes velocity radically and bumps and jolts the rider through the curves. I’m shocked someone has not been severely injured or even killed on one of those rides. Too bad more time wasn’t invested in how to provide movement between terminals – not that I have that answer.
@L737 — This is the way, especially for long-layovers at ATL, where you can go at your own pace, walk the tunnels, and stop-in at each SkyClub (so long as the new access rules don’t literally charge you for a visit each time; should be just one per 24 hour period.)
L737,
there are some pedestrian bridges at DFW but they are long – which is what you get when you stick a super highway through the middle of an airport – and there aren’t bridges between every combination of concourse that AA uses.
and it still takes an enormous amount of time to walk at DFW if you have to – again, a reflection of having gates on 1 side of most concourses. THAT is inefficient from a connecting hub complex; and it is not a surprise since DFW like the old MCI terminal and much of CDG was built for local passengers.
ATL’s midfield complex was built to be a super hub from day 1 of its design – and it achieves that.
and you still miss the point that it doesn’t matter how passengers CAN walk between terminals at DFW.
AA spends more far on personnel per passenger at DFW than other airlines do at other hubs – and AA does at other hubs – because DFW is a much less efficient design.
Parker got a lot of things wrong but he was right on that point.
AA has no choice but to stick w/ what it has started at DFW but its labor costs will be inflated because of DFW.
I’ll just be happy if they upgrade the bathrooms in Terminals A and C. The renovated parts of those terminals are beautiful, but the bathrooms are old, cramped, and smelly.
@Tim thanks! I knew you’d have a POV and can see why you would make these arguments. The thing I like about ATal is that DL has optimized that airport and their corresponding operations.
As for AA’s CEO commenting on the issues with DFW it feels like a paradise compared to other other AA hubs, except maybe DCA. DFW wain’t perfect, but it’s the best AA has.
Good that they decided to add at least one walkway… bad that it’s only one that’s at the tail end of another terminal (and also bad that E will still not connected by walkway inside security).
There’s a venn diagram of people who only take the airport train and people who complain that the seats on the plane aren’t big enough…
@Tim DFW is a dream if you live in market and it’s home base. Being able to park or get dropped off directly near your departing gate without a ridiculously long security line is incredibly convenient. I can’t speak to layovers because I tend to avoid them as much as I avoid having to fly in to or out of ATL.
Hey tim, with this new terminal dfw will bigger than ATL and aa is I’ll now have the biggest him the world.
How does that make you feel?