Terminal Tango: D/FW Carriers Have Shuffled Their Gates

Dec. 22--Catching a flight at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport?

Better double-check your gate information.

If you haven't flown in a while, you need to know that a lot of carriers have moved around the airport this year, thanks to the opening of the new international terminal and the dismantling of Delta Air Lines Inc.'s North Texas hub.And with the airport extra crowded, there's little room for error.

Today is expected to be one of the busiest travel days of the year, as folks head out of town for the holidays.

Delta still operates out of Terminal E, but it has gotten some new neighbors in recent months.

The Atlanta-based carrier, which occupied most of the facility a year ago, now has just four gates.

Filling some of the idled gates is discounter Frontier Airlines, which operates between D/FW and its Denver hub.

Frontier moved from Terminal B this month.

Likewise for ATA Airlines Inc., which recently pared its operations to serve only Chicago Midway.

ATA is scheduled to start selling seats through Southwest Airlines Co. next month.

New entrant Alaska Airlines Inc. launched service to Seattle a few months ago and is also in Terminal E.

Some of the recent changes simplified airport navigation. All international service -- regardless of carrier -- is now in the new Terminal D, rather than spread across three different terminals.

Terminal D also hosts a handful of domestic flights.

Getting around the terminals has also gotten easier. The new Skylink airport train runs in both directions and can get you to most terminal destinations in around five minutes.

Keep in mind that Skylink is on the secure side of the terminal. If your flight returns to a different terminal from where your car is parked, you'll need to look for the green Terminal Link vans at the curb after collecting any checked luggage.

The recent changes will soon mean no more flying out of satellite facilities -- eliminating an extra walk or bus ride to get to the gate.

Delta's de-hubbing idled the nine gates in the Terminal E satellite building. And carrier moves from Terminal B to Terminals D and E have freed enough space for American Eagle to move out of the Terminal A satellite early next month.

United Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Midwest Airlines and military flights shuttling troops for rest and recuperation trips continue to use Terminal B.

Flights on US Airways and America West -- which merged earlier this year -- are still in Terminal B but will move early next year to Terminal E. The two carriers haven't quite merged all their reservation systems, so check-in is still done separately. Look for the signs to avoid waiting in the wrong line.

E-mail [email protected]