Terminal F at DFW International Airport is already expanding, years before it welcomes its first passengers. Airport CEO Sean Donohue announced Thursday that American Airlines plans to invest $4 billion to double the size of the terminal.
Construction began in November of 2024 on the initial design of Terminal F, which was to include 15 gates with room for future expansion. Check-in and security were to be contained in an expanded Terminal E, and Terminal F would not have its own parking garage.
“The North Texas economy, anchored by the great cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, is booming. DFW Airport, just last month, was reaffirmed as the third-busiest airport in the world,” Donohue said.
The airport is projected to handle 100 million passengers by the end of this decade. Donohue said those projections prompted months of discussions between the airport and American Airlines leadership.
“We have agreed there is a need to build more gates, and to accelerate the planned long-term phasing of Terminal F is the best path forward for American and DFW,” he said.
New plans for Terminal F
When Terminal F is complete, it will have 31 gates, more than double the original plans. It will also have its own check-in desks, security screening and baggage handling facilities. A new parking garage will be one of the largest at the airport, with new roads and bridges to access it.
American Airlines will be the only carrier to operate out of the terminal.
“With the investment in these gates and with the infrastructure that we already have here, this gives American and DFW a clear path to building the largest single airline hub in the world,” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said.
The first phase of constriction is still scheduled to open to passengers in 2027, according to a press release from the airport. The timeline for completing the entire project was not specified.
Just two years ago, the airport announced its plans to build a new terminal and a new 10-year lease agreement with American Airlines. On Thursday, they announced an agreement to extend the lease an additional 10 years.
