These are the busiest travel days at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport this coming holiday season

Dalia Faheid
·2 min read

Following the end of COVID-19 travel restrictions, Dallas/Fort Wort Airport is expecting a record number of travelers to go through its concourse this holiday season.

“Air travel has not only rebounded from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, but has now surpassed pre-pandemic 2019 levels—and this holiday season, airports are gearing up for a surge in activity not witnessed in years,” writes Upgraded Points, a website teaching travelers how to maximize their points and miles.

DFW Airport said this season is expected to be among the busiest winter holiday travel seasons in the airport’s nearly 50-year history. A combined 7.4 million customers will fly through the Airport during the two holiday travel periods. This is 6.4% higher compared to the same travel periods last year.

“DFW Airport is eager and ready to greet our Thanksgiving and winter holiday customers. As we demonstrated over the summer – which was the busiest on record – we have an efficient and helpful staff that will focus on providing an exceptional experience for our guests,” said Ken Buchanan, executive vice president of customer experience and revenue management, in a news release.

The airport estimates having 2.9 million customers between Nov. 16 and Nov. 28 for the Thanksgiving travel period. The busiest days for the travel period are projected to be the two Sundays before and after Thanksgiving: Nov. 26 with more than 249,000 customers expected and Nov. 19 with more than 241,000 customers expected.

For the winter holidays, DFW is expecting 4.5 million customers to travel through the airport between Dec. 14 and Jan. 2. The busiest days are projected to be two Fridays on Dec. 22 with more than 245,000 customers and Dec. 15 with more than 243,000, as well as Thursday, Dec. 21 with more than 241,000 customers expected.

Travelers should be prepared for the holiday rush by visiting the DFW Airport website or by downloading our mobile app before they head to the airport, planning their parking ahead of time and checking security wait times before leaving for the airport, Buchanan says. Customers should arrive at least two hours before their flight to provide ample time to park, check in, clear security and get to their gate. And always check with their airline on the latest status of their flight.