First thing anyone sees when arriving in Texas is the international airport located between Dallas and Fort Worth. It’s the busiest airport in the state and the third busiest in the United States, covering 7,315 hectares. Overall, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport serves 254 destinations: 191 domestic and 63 international. Continue on i-dallas.
Origins of the International Airport near Dallas
Until 1927, a small airfield occupied the site, far more limited in size and services than today. Representatives from City D proposed a joint airport for Dallas and Fort Worth, aiming to make air travel more convenient for all locals. However, Fort Worth’s leadership declined, forcing each city to open its own facility: Love Field in Dallas and Meacham Field in Fort Worth.
In 1940, the Civil Aeronautics Administration revived plans and allocated $1.9 million to build the local Dallas–Fort Worth airfield. Texas carriers American Airlines and Braniff Airways even struck a deal with the city of Arlington to host the airport. But with the outbreak of World War II in 1942, the project was put on hold.
A breakthrough agreement between the two cities only came in 1961, after the Federal Aviation Administration refused further funding for separate airports. Since no consensus on the exact site had emerged, officials decided to place it equidistant from both downtowns. Land was acquired in 1966 and construction began in 1969, with initial facilities estimated to cost $700 million.
Opening and Features of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport
The doors officially opened on September 20, 1973. That day saw the first landing of the supersonic Air France Concorde, flying from Caracas to Paris in the United States.
Numerous prominent figures attended the opening ceremony, including former Texas governor John Connally, U.S. Transportation Secretary Claude Brinegar, U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, and Texas governor Dolph Briscoe.
From day one, Dallas/Fort Worth International was known as one of the world’s most modern airports. It introduced the world’s first fully automated people mover, Vought Airtrans. Spanning 13 miles (21 km) of fixed guideway, it carried up to 23,000 passengers per day at speeds of up to 17 mph (27 km/h).
Between 2004 and 2012, the airport served as one of two primary reception points for U.S. military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, offering rest and recovery. After DFW ceased that role, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport became the sole military reception hub.