DFW Airport and American Airlines Announce Acceleration and Expansion of Plans for Terminal F

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and American Airlines announced an agreement to accelerate and expand the scope of the airport’s new Terminal F by doubling the number of gates, adding facilities to grow international operations, expanding customer amenities, creating a single building for passenger check-in and more. The new plan extends the Use and Lease Agreement between DFW and American to 2043 and increases the estimated Terminal F investment to about $4 billion to create what will be DFW’s signature terminal experience, serviced entirely by American.

In 2023, DFW and American Airlines reached a new 10-year Use and Lease Agreement with pre-approved capital investments, including the construction of Terminal F as a 15-gate facility which passengers would access from Terminal E via the airport’s Skylink system. Future plans included the addition of dedicated areas for ticketing, check-in, security screening, baggage claim and parking facilities.

With a positive long-term outlook for growth in passengers and of North Texas, the Terminal F expansion program will now include all the previously planned phases ahead of schedule. This consequential investment will expand the scope of Terminal F to deliver additional capacity for widebody aircraft and international flight processing and includes additional spaces for state-of-the-art amenities, more shops and restaurants, and public art.

In addition to a new centralized Skylink Station, the new Terminal F will also provide a walking connection with Terminal D, creating even more access across DFW’s terminals. Plus, the new parking garage is set to be one of the airport’s largest with a design that includes built-in curbside circulation to maintain the quick access to check-in and security that DFW passengers have come to expect.

The original first phase of Terminal F is well underway and still scheduled to be operational in 2027, with the newly added phases planned to come online in additional phases. American plans to occupy all 31 gates of the new terminal, creating even greater operational efficiencies for the airline and an enhanced experience for connecting passengers – which make up about 60% of DFW’s passenger traffic.

Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, DFW Board of Directors Chair DeMetris Sampson, DFW CEO Sean Donohue and American Airlines CEO Robert Isom gathered at DFW today to make the announcement.

“DFW Airport is getting even bigger and better with the exciting new plans for Terminal F,” said Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson. “This monumental investment by American Airlines is set to elevate an already world-class international airport. This is yet another example of how the growing partnership between American Airlines and DFW Airport continues to strengthen Dallas’ gateway to the rest of the world while boosting our economy and reinforcing our status as a premier international city.”

“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,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “Today’s announcement ensures that DFW will be ready to accommodate the historic growth happening in Fort Worth and all of North Texas into the future.”

"DFW is growing fast, and we are committed to sharing this economic opportunity with businesses in our community as we move forward," said DeMetris Sampson, Chair of the DFW Board of Directors. "DFW has become the economic engine of our region, and we know that this investment will ensure the long-term sustainability of the airport.”

"In the last decade, DFW has grown its passenger traffic by 50 percent and exceeded the wildest expectations of our founders to become the third-busiest airport in the world," said Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW. "Thanks to our close partnership with Robert Isom, American Airlines remains a competitive advantage that continues to show the strength of the airport as a global hub that is supporting the massive economic growth of the Dallas Fort Worth region. Moving forward with Terminal F in this way ensures that DFW and American maintain that momentum.”

“DFW is American’s largest and most critical hub, and with this expanded plan for Terminal F, DFW has a clear path to become the largest airline hub in the world,” said American’s CEO Robert Isom. “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. 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 at DFW and all the growth that’s to come in North Texas.”

DFW’s Monumental Plan Just Got Bigger

With the new vision for Terminal F, the airport’s ongoing DFW Forward capital plan became even more historic with a total of more than $12 billion in transformational investments, either planned or underway, that will provide major improvements and expansions across the airport’s extensive facilities and complex infrastructure over the next several years. This includes the approximately $3 billion program underway to completely reimagine and expand Terminal C, as well as expand Terminal A.