DFW Airport’s new CEO says construction projects critical to meet travel demands
Construction at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport may have some travelers frustrated, but airport officials are bullish about their expansion projects while touting the airport’s economic impact on North Texas.
Speaking at the aviation industry’s Skift Aviation Forum in downtown Fort Worth on Dec. 3, Chris McLaughlin, DFW’s new CEO, said the airport contributed more than $78 billion to the local economy in 2024, based on a recent analysis. That was a 69% increase from 2014.
Economic impact is measured by looking at spending connected to the airport. It also takes into account the more than 684,000 regional jobs that McLaughlin said are supported directly or indirectly by DFW Airport.
What about construction and development at DFW?
At 51 years old, DFW Airport is one of the youngest major airports in the U.S., McLaughlin said. But travel has changed dramatically over the past five decades, and the airport must evolve to meet today’s airline and customer needs.
“We are in a phase where we have to refresh our infrastructure,” said McLaughlin.
The construction you see at DFW Airport is part of a $12 billion modernization project to increase the number of gates, add parking and improve traffic flow, adding right-hand turn lanes on International Parkway, the airport’s main north-south thoroughfare.
One of the focal points of the modernization effort is DFW’s new Terminal F, which is expected to open, at least in part, by 2027.
The terminal will have 31 gates, eight of which can accommodate wide-body aircraft used on international routes. It’s also being built to better handle the flow of passengers through security and customs, McLaughlin added.
“The crown jewel will be Terminal F,” he said.
American Airlines is partnering with DFW on a multi-billion dollar renovation and expansion of Terminal C, which is expected to be done by 2030. The project will add four new gates and rebuild another five in the terminal. Work on Terminal C is being done in three phases, so it will remain operational throughout the renovation. Construction to add new gates to Terminal A is also underway.
All the construction, including road closures, contributed to a traffic nightmare around the Thanksgiving holiday. On Nov. 26, drivers were caught in standstill traffic on the northern tollway into the terminals, forcing some travelers to miss flights.
McLaughlin didn’t address the holiday frustrations during Wednesday’s forum, but he pointed out that DFW Is already the third-busiest airport in the world with nearly 88 million passengers in 2024. McLaughlin expects that number to grow to 100 million by 2030, further underscoring the need for expansion.
Competition from McKinney?
At the Skift forum, McLaughlin was asked how worried he is about competition from the under-development McKinney National Airport in Collin County.
Over the summer, ground broke on a commercial terminal. McKinney expects to offer limited commercial flights by late 2026.
McLaughlin said he wasn’t worried, saying many large metropolitan areas have multiple airports. He said regardless of what happens to the east, DFW Airport will remain competitive.
This story was originally published December 3, 2025 at 3:56 PM.