Robust growth in North Texas is fueling a soaring $4 billion building boom at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Officials with the airport and Fort Worth-based American Airlines announced May 1 that the air carrier will accelerate and expand its “extraordinary” investment in the new Terminal F, initially planned as a 15-gate, $1.6 billion facility, to become a 31-gate state-of-the-art facility that will become a major hub for the company.
American Airlines and DFW Airport executives were joined by the mayors of Fort Worth and Dallas — Mattie Parker and Eric L. Johnson, respectively — to announce the expansion of the airport project, scheduled to become operational in 2027.
Currently under construction at the south end of the airport, Terminal F will add facilities to grow American’s international operations and expand customer amenities, including a baggage claim area, in a single building for the airline’s customers.
“The North Texas economy, anchored by the great cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, is booming,” DFW Airport CEO Sean Donohue said at a morning news conference at the new Gate 39 of Terminal C. “DFW Airport, just last month, was reaffirmed as the third-busiest airport in the world. And while the national economy may see some softening demand in the near term, we continue to project significant long-term growth in passenger traffic at DFW Airport for decades ahead.”
The expansion will ensure that DFW will be ready to accommodate historic growth in Fort Worth and North Texas, Parker said.
“Fort Worth-based American Airlines continues to double down on DFW as its home base with another major investment in the airport’s infrastructure and long-term health,” she added.
Johnson said that DFW will get bigger and better with American’s investment — and strengthen Dallas’ status as a premier international city.
“This truly monumental investment by American Airlines is going to further elevate what’s already one of the world’s leading airports,” he said.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said the company’s investment at DFW will reinforce the airport’s importance by creating the largest airline hub in the country.
“Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and we’re excited that American and North Texas will continue to grow together,” Isom said. “Terminal F will elevate our customer experience in a big way, providing customers with a fantastic new facility and state-of-the-art amenities. We thank Mayor Johnson, Mayor Parker, the rest of the DFW Airport board, and Sean and the DFW team for their partnership. We’re excited for the future of DFW and all the growth that’s to come in North Texas.”
Two years ago, American Airlines and the airport reached a 10-year lease agreement with preapproved capital investments to construct Terminal F, which passengers would access from Terminal E via the airport’s Skylink system. The initial plan was to build a 15-gate terminal and later add areas for ticketing, check-in, security screening, baggage claim and parking. Under the expansion, the timetable for those later additions was accelerated.
Under the upgraded plan, Terminal F will include planned phases ahead of schedule, including the 31 gates, with a connection to a new centralized Skylink station and a walking connection with Terminal D to increase access across the airport. A new parking garage will be one of the airport’s largest and include a design with built-in curbside amenities to maintain quick access to check-in and security.
The new vision for Terminal F will supplement the airport’s $12 billion DFW Forward capital plan to significantly improve and enhance facilities and infrastructure, officials said.
“DFW is growing fast, and we are committed to sharing this economic opportunity with businesses in our community as we move forward,” DeMetris Sampson, chair of the airport’s board of directors, said. “DFW has become the economic engine of our region, and we know that this investment will ensure the long-term sustainability of the airport.”
Travelers to the airport will have to wait a few years before some enhancements are completed. A $3 billion project to reimagine and expand Terminal C with nine new gates is underway, although some new gates — including the one where the news conference took place —- are now open. Terminal A will also be expanded under the plan.
The airport just completed a major milestone with Terminal C construction by successfully moving six megastructure modules — the largest measuring 204 feet long by 68 feet wide and weighing about 1,200 tons — across two closed runways at night with the aid of self-propelled modular transporters. The expansion of Terminal C is expected to open in 2026.
“Innovation is at the core of our airport’s DNA and the techniques being used to reimagine Terminal C are an example of that in action,” Donohue said. “I’m proud of the DFW team for continuously pushing boundaries when it comes to proving forward-thinking construction processes. This is just one of the many important milestones on approach as we undergo this historic period of growth and expansion.”
Donohue, who is retiring later this month, told reporters that incoming CEO Chris McLaughlin will be able to successfully take the reins of leading DFW’s projects when he starts on May 19.
Managing $12 billion in improvements is challenging, but “the team is up for it,” Donohue said.
Meanwhile, American is improving its customer experiences with two new lounges now open at Philadelphia International Airport. Beginning in January 2026, American will offer complimentary high-speed satellite WiFi sponsored by AT&T for its AAdvantage members.
Heather Garboden, senior vice president and chief customer officer at American Airlines, said she is “super excited” about the forthcoming airport changes.
“In three years, it’s going to be beautiful,” she said.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.