Airports In Texas: A Comprehensive Guide To Tx Aviation

Texas has 393 airports for public use, the highest number of airports in the US. The major international airports in the state are Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). DFW is the biggest airport in Texas and the fourth biggest in the world by area. It is also the busiest airport in Texas and the fourth busiest in the US. George Bush Intercontinental Airport is the second-biggest airport in Texas and is located in Houston.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

The airport is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas region. It is the largest hub for American Airlines, which is headquartered near the airport, and it is the third-busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements and the second-busiest by passenger traffic. In 2021, it was the sixth-busiest international gateway in the United States and the second-busiest in Texas, behind Houston-IAH. The hub that American Airlines operates at DFW is the second-largest single airline hub in the world and the United States, after Delta Air Lines's hub in Atlanta.

DFW Airport serves 254 destinations, including 191 domestic and 63 international destinations, and is served by 28 passenger airlines. It is the first carbon-neutral airport in North America and has service to more nonstop destinations than any other airport on the continent as of April 2023. The airport has five terminals, with construction on Terminal F, the airport's sixth terminal, beginning in 2025. DFW also has seven runways, including the recently rehabilitated Runway 17R/35L, one of the largest at the airport.

The airport opened for commercial service as Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport on January 13, 1974, at a cost of $875 million ($5.5 billion in 2024). The first flight to land was American Airlines Flight 341 from New York, with stops in Memphis and Little Rock. The airport's dedication ceremony in September 1973 included the first landing of a supersonic Concorde in the United States. The name was changed to Dallas/Fort Worth International in 1985, and it has since become one of the busiest airports in Texas and the United States, serving millions of passengers during peak travel seasons.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

The airport offers scheduled flights to a large number of domestic and international destinations covering five continents. It serves as the primary hub for Continental Airlines, which is based in Houston. It operates flights to numerous destinations in Mexico, more than any other airport in the United States.

In 2020, the airport commenced a $1.3 billion capital improvement programme called the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP). The project includes the construction of the Mickey Leland International Terminal (MLIT), which will consolidate Terminals D and E into a centralised terminal. The ITRP is expected to be completed by late 2024 or early 2025. Future expansion plans aim to accommodate 33 million enplaned international passengers annually.

Del Rio International Airport

Texas is home to several airports, both large and small, that serve the diverse travel needs of its residents and visitors. One such airport is Del Rio International Airport (DRT), a public-use airport located in Del Rio, Texas.

DRT offers a range of services and facilities for both passengers and pilots. The terminal building houses a passenger lobby, a small café, and a gift shop. There are also car rental services available on-site, making it convenient for arriving passengers to arrange ground transportation. For pilots and general aviation needs, the airport provides fuel services, aircraft parking, and a fixed-base operator (FBO) offering additional support and amenities.

In terms of commercial airline service, Del Rio International Airport is currently served by one passenger airline, Contour Airlines. This airline provides daily scheduled flights to and from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), offering convenient connections to other destinations across the country. The airport also handles a significant amount of military air traffic due to its proximity to Laughlin Air Force Base, which is home to the US Air Force's 47th Flying Training Wing. Additionally, the airport caters to general aviation and private aircraft, making it a versatile aviation hub for the region.

Abilene's airport

Texas has the highest number of airports among all the states in the US, with 393 airports for public use. The major international airports in Texas are the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Abilene Regional Airport serves the city of Abilene, Texas. Abilene is accessible from anywhere in the world thanks to its regional airport, which offers five daily non-stop flights to Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW). Abilene Regional Airport has been in operation since at least the 1930s, when it was a stop on American Airlines' overnight service between Dallas and Los Angeles. In the 1940s, American Airlines offered a service from Dallas Love Field to Los Angeles, stopping at various cities in Texas and other states, including Abilene.

In the 1950s, Continental Airlines served Abilene with the Convair 340, Convair 440, and the Vickers Viscount. The Vickers Viscount flew directly to Dallas Love Field and Albuquerque. Continental Airlines left Abilene in 1963 and was replaced by Trans-Texas Airways (TTa). TTa introduced the first jet service to Abilene in 1968 with the Douglas DC-9-10. In the 1970s, Texas International (formerly Trans-Texas Airways) offered flights to various destinations in Texas and beyond, including non-stop flights to San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth.

In the 1980s, Abilene lost its only jet service when Texas International merged with Continental Airlines. Jet service returned in 1984 with the original Frontier Airlines, which offered direct flights to Denver via Midland/Odessa. However, Frontier dropped Abilene in 1985, and the city once again lost its jet service. Reliable jet service would not return to Abilene until American Eagle's Embraer ERJ-140 and ERJ-145 arrived. Today, American Eagle serves Abilene Airport with flights to Dallas-Fort Worth.

Austin's airport

Texas has the highest number of airports of any US state, with 393 airports open to the public. The major international airports in Texas are Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Austin is served by Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, which opened on 23 May 1999. The airport is named after the former Bergstrom Air Force Base, on which it is located. The airport's code, AUS, was originally assigned to the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, which closed in 1999 due to Austin outgrowing the site.

Austin–Bergstrom International Airport is currently undergoing construction, with the city of Austin planning to add a concourse connector, runway midfield taxi ways, a checkpoint 3 remodel, and a west gate expansion. The airport is also set to become the southern terminus of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Blue Line light rail, which will run through the East Riverside Corridor to Downtown Austin and the University of Texas at Austin as far north as North Lamar/US183. The light rail is estimated to cost $1.3 billion and may be completed by 2029.

The airport has been the site of two fatal aircraft accidents. On 1 March 2002, a Beechcraft A36 Bonanza crashed during an instrument landing system approach in bad weather, killing the pilot and the single passenger. On 7 December 2009, a Piper PA-46-500TP crashed during an ILS approach in low visibility, again killing the pilot and the single passenger.

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