Jazmin Li
The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is centred between its owner cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. The airport was dedicated in September 1973 and opened for commercial service on January 13, 1974, at a cost of $875 million. It is currently one of the most frequently visited superhub airports in the world.
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What You'll Learn
DFW Airport opened in 1974
The Dallas Fort Worth Regional Airport, now known as the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), opened on January 13, 1974. The airport, which was built between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, cost $875 million (equivalent to $5.5 billion in 2024) and was the biggest airport in the world at the time.
The driving force behind the airport's construction was Thomas M. Sullivan, a civil engineer who managed the airport from 1968 to 1975. Sullivan's vision was to create a massive complex that would serve as a gateway between the two cities. The original plan for the airport was conceived in 1940, but it wasn't until the 1960s that an agreement was reached to build it between Dallas and Fort Worth. The airport was designed to accommodate larger aircraft that required longer runways, which the existing airports in the area could not handle.
The DFW Airport has undergone numerous expansions and improvements since it opened. From 1974 to 1988, an additional $600 million was spent on expansion and improvements. In 1985, the airport's name was changed to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to reflect its world recognition. The airport has continued to expand and improve its facilities, including the addition of new terminals, runways, and gates.
Today, the DFW Airport is one of the most frequently visited superhub airports in the world, serving more than 73 million customers annually. It is a major economic generator for the North Texas region, producing over $37 billion in economic impact each year and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. The airport has also been recognised for its Best Overall Concessions Program, offering a variety of dining, gaming, specialty sweets, and memorable souvenirs.
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Thomas M. Sullivan was the driving force behind its construction
The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, or DFW, is a major economic generator for the North Texas region, producing over $37 billion in economic impact annually. The airport connects people through business and leisure travel, supporting 634,000 jobs and $24 billion in visitor spending.
The driving force behind the construction of this airport was Thomas M. Sullivan, a civil engineer. Sullivan developed and ran the airport from 1968 to 1975, serving as the executive director of the Regional Airport Authority, the entity responsible for creating the massive complex. His role in the development of DFW led to consultant positions at other airports around the world, including Heathrow Airport in London, Orly Airport in Paris, Kennedy International Airport in New York, and La Guardia Airport, also in New York.
Sullivan's vision for DFW began in 1968, when an agreement was reached to place the airport between Dallas and Fort Worth. An engineering firm recommended that the airport be built along the Tarrant-Dallas county line near Grapevine, and in December 1968, ground was broken at the intersection of the towns of Euless, Irving, and Grapevine. The airport was five years under construction at a cost of $700 million, finally opening for commercial service on January 13, 1974, as Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport. At the time of its opening, it was the biggest airport in the world.
The original 1967 airport design called for pier-shaped terminals perpendicular to a central highway. However, in 1968, the design was revised to provide for semicircular terminals, which would isolate loading and unloading areas from the central highway and provide additional room for parking. The plan proposed thirteen such terminals, but only four were built initially.
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The airport cost $700 million to build
The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, or DFW Airport, is located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. The airport was built at a cost of $700 million and opened for commercial service on January 13, 1974, as the Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport. The driving force behind the building of DFW was Thomas M. Sullivan, a civil engineer who managed the airport from 1968 to 1975.
The airport was constructed on a site that included the old Greater Southwest International Airport. Seventeen thousand acres were purchased for $68 million, and the construction took five years to complete. The original 1967 design called for pier-shaped terminals perpendicular to a central highway, but this was revised in 1968 to provide for semicircular terminals, which offered additional parking space.
At the time of its opening, DFW Airport was the biggest airport in the world. It featured extensive facilities, including a 600-room hotel, a post office, and several shops and restaurants. The airport has undergone numerous expansions and improvements over the years, with an additional $600 million spent between 1974 and 1988. In 1985, the airport's name was changed to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to reflect its growing global recognition.
DFW Airport continues to be a major hub for air travel, serving more than 73 million customers annually and ranking as one of the most frequently visited superhub airports worldwide. The airport has also been recognised for its concessions program, being named the world's third-busiest airport. In 2019, Air Transport World named DFW the Airport of the Year. The airport remains a significant economic generator for the North Texas region, contributing billions of dollars in economic impact, supporting jobs, and generating tax revenue.
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It was the biggest airport in the world when it opened
The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened on January 13, 1974, as the biggest airport in the world. It was originally called the Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport and was dedicated in September 1973. The airport was built on a site between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and was five years in construction at a cost of $700 million.
The driving force behind the airport's construction was Thomas M. Sullivan, a civil engineer who managed the airport from 1968 to 1975. Sullivan's plan included a design with semicircular terminals that isolated loading and unloading areas from the central highway, with additional room for parking. The airport's construction also led to the displacement of people whose houses were located on the site.
When it opened, the airport had nine operating airlines and extensive facilities, including a 600-room hotel, a post office, and several shops and restaurants. In its first year of operation, the airport served 42 million passengers on 635,000 flights, making it the fourth-largest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic. The airport has continued to expand and improve its facilities over the years, with an additional $600 million spent on development from 1974 to 1988.
Today, DFW Airport is one of the most frequently visited superhub airports in the world, serving more than 73 million customers annually. The airport has also been recognised for its concessions program, and in 2019, it was named Airport of the Year by Air Transport World. DFW Airport continues to embark on expansion projects, with recent improvements including the reconstruction of Runway 18R and the expansion of Terminals C and D.
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It is now the third-busiest airport in the world
The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is currently the third busiest airport in the world. It is centred between its owner cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. The driving force behind the building of DFW was Thomas M. Sullivan, a civil engineer who developed and ran the airport from 1968 to 1975.
The airport was dedicated in September 1973 and opened for commercial service on January 13, 1974, at a cost of $875 million (equivalent to $5.5 billion in 2024). At the time of its opening, the airport had only nine operating airlines. In addition, extensive facilities were in business, including a 600-room hotel, a post office, and a few shops and restaurants.
In 1988, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was the fourth-largest airport in the world, with 42,000,000 passengers enplaned on 635,000 flights. The airport has continued to expand and improve over the years, with an additional $600 million spent from 1974 to 1988. In 2023, DFW served 81,764,044 passengers, a record for the facility, exceeding 80 million passengers for the first time in its 50-year history.
DFW Airport has embarked on a series of expansion projects expected to last until 2028. The first phase will construct the long-discussed Terminal F, with a 15-gate concourse costing $1.63 billion. The airport is a major economic generator for the North Texas region, producing over $37 billion in economic impact each year by connecting people through business and leisure travel.
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Frequently asked questions
The Dallas Fort Worth Regional Airport opened for business on January 13, 1974.
The airport was constructed at a cost of $700 million or $875 million (equivalent to $5.5 billion in 2024).
In 2023, the airport served 81,764,044 passengers, exceeding 80 million passengers for the first time in its 50-year history.
