USA. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and American Airlines have revealed plans for a sixth terminal at the fast-growing Texan airport, which could open by 2025.

Plans announced this week call for an investment of US$3-3.5 billion in terminal improvements, including the construction of the new Terminal F and enhancements to Terminal C. The site for Terminal F, south of Terminal D, carries a long-term projection for up to 24 gates.

Design work for Terminal F will begin immediately, with various layout options to be explored. The airport and airline expect the details to be finalised as part of a new airline lease agreement. Dallas Fort Worth Airport and American anticipate the investment to be financed by bonds and repaid through airline rates and charges over the life of the bonds.

“Today’s announcement sets the stage for DFW Airport’s next 50 years,” said Dallas Fort Worth International Airport CEO Sean Donohue. “The new Terminal F and the expansion that could follow will provide the region with the growth it needs to compete with international business centres. We look forward to working together to deliver what will be an efficient, modern terminal with a state-of-the-art customer experience.”

“This is an exciting day for American and our more than 31,000 team members who call Dallas Fort Worth home,” said American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. “DFW is American’s largest hub and a central gateway to our extensive international and domestic network. The plans we’re announcing today will allow for the continued growth of DFW and ensure the airport remains a premier gateway for American for many more years to come.”

The design of Terminal F is expected to accommodate the use of new technologies to facilitate passenger movement and improve performance, said the airport company.

The airport and its airline partner American said they plan to significantly improve the customer experience at Terminal C (which opened in 1974), bringing it in line with Terminals A, B and E, on which renovations were completed in 2018. Those renovations included redesigned check-in areas, larger security checkpoints, expanded concession spaces and improved lighting and flooring.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport handled a record 69 million customers in 2018, and the airport anticipates that more passengers will be added in the next two years than in the past two decades. In 2018, DFW announced 28 new destinations, giving it a larger domestic footprint than any other US airport, alongside more than 60 international destinations.

*Dallas Fort Worth International Airport will host the 2019 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards, which takes place at The Westin Galleria Dallas on 26-27 June. The event, organised by The Moodie Davitt Report, will bring together leading airports, concessionaires and service providers from the world of travel food & beverage. More details appear on the FAB 2019 website.