Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, also known as Dallas Fort Worth or DFW, is the world's third-busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements. Only nine airports anywhere on the planet can lay claim to having higher passenger numbers and DFW is the busiest air travel facility in the state of Texas by any measure.
The airport itself is enormous, covering more than 26.9 square miles (70 square kilometers) and featuring five terminal buildings, each with its own dedicated parking area. There are seven runways at DFW, the longest of which are 2.5 miles (four kilometers) in length.
The five terminal buildings at Dallas Fort Worth Airport contain a total of 165 gates, providing 64 million passengers per year with access to flights offered by no less than 27 airlines. Flights from DFW connect with 221 destinations domestically and around the world and the airport proudly claims to be able to provide people with access to every major city in the continental United States inside four hours. American Airlines has its headquarters at Dallas Fort Worth and offers almost 900 flights from the airport every day.
DFW's considerable infrastructure is staffed by around 60,000 employees at the airport and is overseen by 1,800 board members; moreover, the airport contributes in excess of $37 billion to the North Texas economy every year.
Location of Dallas Fort Worth Airport
DFW is located on the edge of the city of Grapevine in Tarrant County, to the north west of the city of Dallas and to the north east of Fort Worth in North Texas.
Dallas city center is 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from DFW and can be reached by traveling along the TX-183 westbound, while Fort Worth city center is 23 miles (37 kilometers) away via the TX-121 northbound and the TX-183 eastbound. Other nearby cities include Irving in Dallas County, 11.2 miles (18 kilometers) to the south of DFW and Arlington in Tarrant County 15 miles (24.1 kilometers) south of the airport.
Dallas Fort Worth also serves the city of Denton, 25.1 miles (40.3 kilometers) to the north, which can be reached via the I-35, and Waco, 107 miles (172 kilometers) to the south, which can also be reached via the I-35.
Which terminal?
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport might be huge, but that doesn't mean you should have any problems finding your way to the correct terminal and gate for your flight. The Skylink light rail service provides quick transfers between terminals and gates and the airport's complimentary shuttles will take you from any on-site parking lot to your terminal.
The airlines currently offering public flights to and from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport can be found on the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport website.
History of Dallas Fort Worth Airport
The idea for a joint-airport between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth dates back much further than the airport itself. The original proposal for a regional airport was tabled in 1940, but Dallas Fort Worth Airport didn't actually open its doors until 1973.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) began building an airport at Arlington in 1942 with the intention of creating a facility that would serve Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as the surrounding North Texas and Tarrant County region. However, the airport's progress was halted over a dispute about which way the terminal building should face and this began a saga of disagreements between Dallas and Fort Worth that would continue for more than three decades.
In those intervening years, the city of Fort Worth developed the airport at Arlington and named it Greater Fort Worth International Airport, while Dallas developed its own facility at Love Field in the north west of the city's downtown area. The two airports competed for passengers and airlines throughout the 1940s and 1950s and the dignitaries of the two cities became entrenched in their opposition to each other. Fort Worth mayor Amon G. Carter is reported to have boycotted all restaurants in Dallas when he was there on business, instead bringing his own lunch whenever necessary. It was Carter who persuaded American Airlines to move its headquarters from Dallas to Fort Worth, further fuelling the feud between the two cities.
Love Field Airport thrived in the late 1950s and early 1960s, claiming 49 per cent of Texas air traffic by 1965, and the facility became increasingly congested. Despite this, the Federal Aviation Administration withheld funds for expansion because the requirement to support both rival airports proved too expensive. As such, pressure for the two cities to agree upon a location for a regional airport increased and committees were appointed to identify a site.
It wasn't until 1968 that the area intersecting Grapevine, Irving and Euless was chosen as a site for a regional airport and a poll was held to gain public approval for the plans. The results showed unanimous support and the construction of the facility – then named North Texas Regional Airport – began.
Construction was completed in 1973 and the first commercial flight to land at the airport was the 341 American Airlines service from New York, which touched down on January 13 1974.
The airport rapidly gained popularity, with international flights to South America and Mexico opening in 1974, followed by services to London in 1978 and Europe and Asia in 1979, all courtesy of Braniff International Airways.
The airport was renamed Dallas Fort Worth International in 1985 and by 1988 it was the fourth-largest airport in the world. Delta Airlines made DFW a hub from the mid-1980s to 2005, helping to fuel its exponential growth throughout that period, while American Airlines continues to call the airport its home.
Late-night parking
If you arrive at Dallas Fort Worth between 12am and 4am and you wish to use the express parking facilities, you need to call (+1) 972-574-7500 to be given access.
If you arrive between 12:30am and 5am and require a shuttle bus from the remote parking lots to the terminals, you need to call (+1) 972-754-6004 to arrange a pick-up.
Free parking for veterans at DFW airport
Certain license plates held by those who have served in the US military qualify drivers for a parking charge waiver. A list of military veterans eligible for free parking at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is available on this page of the airport's official website.
Use the DFW airport app
Available for Android and iPhone as well as Apple Watch, the free DFW Official App provides flight news, weather alerts and helpful airport information direct to your device. You can use it to find your way around the gigantic DFW grounds and terminal buildings or use it to help you remember where you parked your car.
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