Embraer 175 taking off from DFW airport. (LJ Jones)
Learn how Dallas Fort Worth International Airport has turned into one of the most popular airports in the world, both in passengers served and flights flown.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the entire world. In 2024, DFW remained No. 3 in total passenger traffic. The airport served 87.8 million passengers and had 743,203 operations, both sizable jumps compared to the previous year.
Today, DFW offers service to more than 260 destinations, 73 of which are outside of the United States. Here’s how it’s grown to become one of the largest airport operations in the world.
DFW is in a favorable location
Dallas initially proposed a joint airport with Fort Worth in 1927 but was turned down, leading to both cities opening up their own regional airports. The idea for a joint airport resurfaced in 1961 because the Federal Aviation Administration didn’t want to invest in two separate airports.
DFW officially opened for business on January 13, 1974. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is centrally located in the United States. Most domestic flights can be made in under four hours, with many falling under three. As a result, more flights come in and out of DFW than at other airports, which must travel across the country for several destinations.
Dallas-Fort Worth is also a major stopping point for Central and South American residents traveling to Europe, and vice versa. Since many of those cities don’t offer direct flights between each other, DFW provides an excellent base for a connecting flight.
The airport is an American Airlines hub
American Airlines, the largest airline in the world in terms of passengers carried and daily flights, is headquartered in Fort Worth, making DFW the airline’s biggest hub. Naturally, the airline wants its headquarters to remain lucrative, so it has consistently introduced new and extended routes from DFW.
When travel began resuming after the COVID-19 pandemic, American removed several nonstop flights, offering transfers in Dallas. The airline also stated that it would designate DFW as its major hub for select flights to Western Europe and trans-Pacific routes.
Other airlines have frequented the space, too. DFW served as the Delta hub for over a decade; more recently, Frontier added a crew operating base at the airport, offering more flights to a greater variety of destinations. Southwest, which previously operated out of Love Field, is now looking to get involved in DFW.
It’s had innovative ideas
In the airport’s early days, it introduced the Vought Airtrans, the first operational fully automated people mover system worldwide. The system transported up to 23,000 passengers per day, serving over a quarter of a billion people in 31 years of service. DFW Skylink replaced Vought Airtrans in 2005, though efficiently moving passengers remains a constant.
The airport has also been strategic when building terminals and runways, positioning them so people don’t have to move around nearly as much as at other airports. DFW added new runways in the 1980s and 1990s, and today, it’s the only airport in the world with four paved runways longer than 4,000 meters in service.
Look to see new features in the coming years after DFW and American Airlines announced an expanded plan in May 2025. This $4 billion expansion comes on the heels of building a new terminal; American will now offer more international-capable gates and connect directly to other terminals with a walkway. The expansion will allow other airlines to operate out of Terminals D and E with additional routes.
Finally, you can watch flights take off from Founders Plaza. That’s a unique experience, and while there’s no way to measure it directly, it’s safe to assume at least some people have watched those flights depart and thought, “Hmm, I should book a flight, too!”
Direct flights from Dallas around the world
Planning a trip out of DFW? You’ve got a ton of options. We’ve put together six of the coolest destinations you can visit via a direct flight, starting with an incredibly lengthy one.
Melbourne, Australia
At an average time of 17 hours and 40 minutes, this is the longest direct flight you can take from Dallas. Thanks to the length and time zone difference (Melbourne is 15 hours ahead of Dallas), you’ll lose more than an entire day when traveling. The 9,044-mile flight is typically available 3-4 times a week and is available on Qantas. Should you prefer checking out other parts of the country, direct flights from Dallas to Sydney and Brisbane are a few minutes shorter.
Santiago, Chile
The capital of Chile is about a nine-hour and 25-minute flight from Dallas. With around 5.5 million people, Santiago is the seventh-most populous city in the Americas; by comparison, Dallas has approximately 1.3 million residents. Chile offers an abundance of natural beauty, from stunningly blue water and icebergs to gorgeous mountains, perfect for hiking or horseback riding. There’s also a Penguin Island in the Strait of Magellan, which is just as wonderful as it sounds.
Tokyo, Japan
A trip to Tokyo gives you flexibility because Dallas has direct flights to two airports in the city, Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND). American Airlines services both routes, with Japan Airlines also flying to Haneda. The 13-hour, 30-minute flight will give you plenty of time to catch up on your Zs—assuming you can fall asleep easily on a plane—or watch several movies. Shop and eat at the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, visit the whimsical Ghibli Museum, and cruise around town in a go-kart.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
You can catch nearly a dozen direct flights from DFW to Europe and the UK. They all have their merits, though Amsterdam has an impressive mix of museums, quirky attractions, and vibrant natural beauty. American offers one flight per day to the country’s capital, lasting an average of nine hours and 20 minutes. The Rijksmuseum and Anne Frank Museum are both must-stops, and even simply meandering around the canals is a grand old time. Ideally, you’ll plan a vacation during peak tulip season, between mid-March and mid-May. That’s also when you can go to Keukenhof, an absolutely gorgeous collection of flowers, trees, and Dutch charm.
Seattle, Washington
We wanted to include one domestic flight on this list, and Seattle gets the nod for being the most frequent non-Texas route from Dallas. On any given day, you’ll find at least 14 flights to this city in the Pacific Northwest, with up to 18 on certain days. You’ll get your pick of convenient times between American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta, and Frontier. The flight lasts about four hours and 20 minutes and is approximately 1,667 miles. Once you’re in Seattle, check out a Mariners game, hit up the Museum of Pop Culture, and try some sourdough pasta (bread bowl optional).
Québec City, Canada
This is your best choice for a trendy, new, exclusive type of flight. You could previously get to Québec City from Dallas, but there was always at least one stop. As of August 9, 2025, American Airlines offers one direct flight between Dallas and Québec City each Saturday morning. It doesn’t get more limited edition than one flight per week! The trip is relatively speedy, too, with an average time of three hours, 55 minutes. Check out the Village Valcartier sliding park, explore the Petit Champlain, and eat copious amounts of poutine.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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