Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is projected to have 80 million travelers this year, CEO Sean Donohue said in a state of the airport address Monday. The airport broke its pre-pandemic numbers of travelers.
The airport, which turns 50 years old next year, will continue to grow with the region, Donohue said. He released new numbers on the airport’s economic impact and looked into the crystal ball to share what he expects for its future, a forecast that included renderings for a renovated Terminal C.
DFW Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It hit its busiest day in history June 30 of this year, with 281,000 passengers, Donohue said.
The airport supports an annual payroll of $38 billion, affecting 634,000 jobs – a 25% increase compared to 2015 numbers, Donohue said at the address. Visitor spending saw a 25% increase, adding $24 billion to the economy each year. The airport also adds a total of $5 billion to state and local tax revenues, annually. It has flights to 256 destinations and hosts 28 dometic airlines and 16 foreign.
Now Donohue is looking to the future to accommodate the airport’s and the region’s growth.
“Fort Worth is growing like crazy, (as is) Dallas, the region, and we just have to stay ahead of that growth,” Donohue said. “And we will.”
Donohue said there have been hundreds of construction projects at the airport in the past seven years. Among them is the modular construction of the “high C” gates, whichallowed sections built offsite to be transported and connected together at the site.He also highlighted the completed renovations of Terminals A, B and E.
In the near future, Donohue is looking toward two major projects: the new Terminal F and the renovation of Terminal C.Terminal C renovations include 16-foot ceilings and the removal of more than 500 columns that currently take up space and block sightlines, he said. Terminal F will cost an estimated $1.63 billion and add 15 gates, according to previous reporting.“This project not only reflects our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our passengers, but also signifies our commitment to remaining at the forefront of the aviation industry,” he said.
Construction on Terminals C and F is scheduled to begin in 2024. Work on Terminal C will come first, early in 2024, and construction on Terminal F will begin the second half of the year, he said. Terminal F won’t cause much disruption to passengers, but Terminal C will be more complicated.
Donohue is also looking into the distant future. By 2030, airport executives are aiming to make the airport carbon neutral. By 2040, Donohue said, he hopes travelers will experience a “fully automated” journey through the terminals and use electric air taxis.
“I’ll be the first to admit aviation doesn’t have a great track record for (reading the) crystal ball. But we all see where technology’s going,” he said. “And we’re going to be prepared for that. And we’re going to learn from it. And we’re going to participate in it.”
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said the airport is an important part of the local economy – especially when companies are considering locating in the city. Company executives, especially those at businesses that have recently expanded, are constantly telling Parker what a huge selling point it is to have a good airport nearby, she said.
“One thing they always mention is, ‘We wouldn’t be looking at Fort Worth if it weren’t for Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport,’” Parker said. “And it’s not just because of the over 250 places you can fly across the globe. It’s also because of the customer experience that you receive when you’re here, and it really does feel like a place to do business in North Texas.”
Seth Bodine is a business and economic development reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at seth.bodine@fortworthreport.org and follow on Twitter @sbodine120.
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