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American Airlines and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) unveil
nine new state-of-the-art gates, marking the completion of the Terminal C
pier expansion at DFW.
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American becomes the first major U.S. network carrier to launch electronic boarding gates at scale, with all nine gates equipped with proprietary infrastructure and industry-leading technology designed to guide customers smoothly through the boarding process.
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This milestone gives customers an early look at the future of Terminal C —
American's busiest terminal at DFW — as the first new gates to open under
the historic multi-billion-dollar capital plan underway to further
strengthen American’s flagship hub, DFW.
FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines and Dallas Fort Worth International
Airport (DFW) today debuted the brand-new Terminal C pier, a significant
milestone in the historic transformation of American’s largest and most
important hub. The new Terminal C pier features nine new electronic boarding
gates, equipped with industry-leading technology, and elevates the customer
experience with new concessions, seating, restrooms and a spacious, modern
design, representing the future of Terminal C.
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American’s Terminal C pier is home to nine new state-of-the-art gates with
modern features and amenities showcasing the future at the airline’s
largest hub.
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The major milestone was celebrated among partners, including American and
DFW Airport, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“DFW is central to our global operation and the historic investments we are
making to modernize and expand our terminal facilities in partnership with
DFW Airport will continue to enhance the customer experience and make way
for future growth,” said American’s Senior Vice President of DFW Operations
Jim Moses. “The opening of the new pier provides a preview of what customers
can expect from the ongoing transformation at DFW, showcasing American’s
Forever ForwardSM mindset as we look to the future. The expansion
also arrives just in time to serve our customers during what’s going to be a
landmark summer.”
The new Terminal C pier was built over the past two years, using a
modular construction technique
to reduce operational impact and expedite construction timelines. The pier
expansion delivers four net-new gates, as well as five gates that were rebuilt
as part of the project. The gates were constructed in a pier configuration to
maximize capacity.
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The pier expansion is made up of six modular structures that were
partially built away from the terminal area to reduce operational impact.
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The modules were moved across two closed runways overnight using
self-propelled modular transporters in April 2024.
First major milestone in historic plan to expand and modernize DFW
Terminal C, which is American’s busiest terminal at DFW, will be entirely
rebuilt over the next several years as part of the plan underway to expand and
modernize the airline’s largest hub. The new gates provide customers a more
spacious, modern experience with new light-enhancing energy-efficient windows
and high ceilings, giving customers an early look at the future Terminal C.
“Our centennial year has served as an opportunity to celebrate and reflect
on 100 years of establishing and growing our footprint across the world,
with DFW at the epicenter of that growth throughout the past five decades,”
said American’s Vice President of Corporate Real Estate Amanda Zhang. “In
partnership with DFW Airport, we are forging the path forward by redefining
the way we prepare for the future and designing facilities to further
enhance the customer experience. With even more on approach through our
multi-billion-dollar plan to expand DFW, we are positioning our hometown hub
to continue fueling growth for North Texas and American.”
The pier expansion coincides with the first of three phases of the Terminal C
reconstruction and expansion project, which will reimagine the terminal’s
existing footprint from terminal door to aircraft door. The project is
completely rebuilding the terminal, which will include brand-new check-in,
security, baggage handling facilities, as well as other amenities important to
customers like restrooms, art installations and restaurant and retail
concessions. A complete reconstruction of the adjacent south section of the
parking garage is also underway, which will deliver more parking to
accommodate the growth in gates.
“Terminal C represents the future of DFW taking shape in real time,” said
Chris McLaughlin, Chief Executive Officer of DFW Airport. “As we prepare to
welcome summer travelers and global visitors to North Texas, customers are
beginning to see years of planning and investment come to life. Together
with American Airlines, we are modernizing one of our most important
facilities while building the capacity and customer experience needed to
serve the next generation of travel.”
Terminal C — the workhorse of DFW
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Terminal C is 52 years old and is one of the original terminals at DFW.
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Terminal C is American’s busiest terminal at DFW, averaging nearly 200
departures per day* so far during this year’s record-breaking summer
schedule.
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If Terminal C were a standalone hub, it would be the fifth largest hub in
American’s network by departures*.
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Once the full reconstruction project is complete, Terminal C will be home
to 32 gates with a footprint of more than 1 million square feet of
facilities.
*As measured by mainline departures.
A similar pier-style expansion is also underway at Terminal A, which is set to
open later this year with 10 total gates, driving a net gain of five gates to
another one of American’s terminals. Next year, American will open the first
phase of
Terminal F, the airline's sixth terminal at DFW. The terminal will deliver a brand-new
terminal experience at DFW with 31 gates served by American.
From new customer-centric designs to innovative technology, more gates to
completely transformed facilities, the extensive plan at DFW is set to
redefine the travel experience for American’s customers flying to, from or
through the global hub.
Enhancing the customer experience at American’s flagship hub
Beyond construction, American has made several other notable investments that
reinforce its commitment to a more seamless travel experience for customers.
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Largest airport schedule transformed: DFW has an outsized
impact across American. In April, American transformed its schedule from a
nine to 13-bank operation, spreading customers and flights throughout the
day. The new bank structure has already brought measurable improvements in
on-time arrivals and departures, customer connections and baggage handling
at DFW and across American’s global network — which is being reflected in
positive customer responses and notable improvements in the airline’s Net
Promoter Score.
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First major U.S. network carrier to introduce electronic boarding gates at scale: American is also the first major U.S. network carrier to install dormakaba electronic boarding gates at scale at a major U.S. hub. The new technology — debuting
in the Terminal C pier — is another opportunity for American to simplify its
customers’ boarding experience while enhancing the airline's already
rigorous security standards.
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Faster and easier customer processing: Several
programs are reimagining the customer journey
at DFW, including
One Stop Security,
Enhanced Passenger Processing, Mobile Passport Control and TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID.
Customers taking advantage of these initiatives are making travel faster and
easier at security checkpoints and during customs processing. American
continues to work with federal partners to test, develop and deploy new
programs intended to improve the travel experience — from departure to
arrival.
American’s operation at DFW by the numbers
- More than 67 million customers cared for in 2025
- 930 peak daily departures this summer
- Nonstop access to more than 230 destinations
- 30,000 team members
Forever Forward℠ at DFW
From construction projects to customer-centric initiatives, American’s
new shortform video series
is taking viewers behind the scenes of the historic multiyear modernization
plan underway across DFW. Catch the exciting updates with the
latest episodes
— including a
recent episode
focused on the Terminal C pier — showcasing what customers can look forward to
in the coming years.
About American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL)
American
Airlines is a premium global airline connecting more of the U.S. to the world.
With roots tracing back to an air mail carrier in the Midwestern United States
in 1926, American now operates more than 6,000 daily flights to more than 350
destinations in more than 60 countries and serves more than 200 million
customers annually. Powered by a proud and talented team of 130,000 aviation
professionals, American’s team lives out the airline’s purpose of caring for
people on life’s journey every day.
The world’s largest airline proudly celebrates its centennial year in 2026,
reaching a milestone that reflects a century of innovation and the Forever
ForwardSM spirit that changed the industry and the world. American
introduced the first scheduled air cargo service, the first airport lounge and
the first airline loyalty program and continues to reinvent the customer
experience today. The airline is also a founding member of the
oneworld alliance, whose members serve more than 900
destinations around the globe.
Get the latest about American at
news.aa.com and
@AmericanAir.