Do it for the leg room

Green bus service rolls out 99-cent fares from Dallas to top Texas cities

The German bus operator is offering affordable rides across Texas.

Photo courtesy of FlixBus

If driving for hours isn't your thing, an affordable new bus service connecting Texas' major cities might be the answer for your next cross-state trek.

German-based FlixBus recently launched a "Southern Network" of routes, with initial Texas service between Houston and San Antonio. Now, it's back with expanded travel options for the Lone Star State's major cities, including Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin.

Riders can book tickets for just 99 cents between April 8-10 for travel taking place April 8-May 17. After the promotional period ends, fares will jump to $4.99 on average, depending on the season and demand, the company says.

From Dallas, FlixBus offers routes to Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Tyler, and Houston, and back. There are multiple pick-up and drop-off locations in Dallas, including near Bishop Arts District and at Dallas Love Field.The bus operator also has routes to locations outside of Texas: four in Louisiana (Shreveport, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, New Orleans) and one in Mississippi (Biloxi).

“We are eager to get more buses on the ground in Texas,” Pierre Gourdain, FlixBus USA managing director, said in a press release. “After the success of our initial launch, it’s clear to us that we’ve tapped into a real desire for an alternative mode of transportation in the south. Our goal now is to continue connecting more communities and get as many cars as we can off the road.”

The company seeks to be a sustainable alternative to a private car, boasting carbon-neutral and electric buses with Wi-Fi, entertainment, power outlets, and leg room. FlixBus has served more than 100 million passengers since launching in 2013, traveling to more than 2,000 destinations in 28 countries. Travelers can book their trips here.

FlixBus' current Texas routes are as follows:

Dallas to Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Tyler, and Houston
Fort Worth to Dallas, Tyler, and Houston
Fort Worth to Dallas to Tyler
Austin to San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston
San Antonio to Austin, Dallas, and Houston
San Antonio to Austin to Dallas
Houston to Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio

transportation vacation

Holiday News

American Airlines expects record-setting travel on Thanksgiving 2024

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

American Airlines ready for takeoff.

The holidays are looming and American Airlines is ramping up. Over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, the Fort Worth-based airline expects to process nearly 8.3 million customers across more than 77,000 flights.

According to a statement from American's COO David Seymour, the airline is having a good fall season and canceled fewer flights than its peers during October.

“Thanks to the hard work of our 130,000 team members, we canceled fewer flights than any of our major competitors this October and beat our own records for on-time departures and arrivals,” Seymour says.

That's surely good news. One hates to rain on their parade, but in June 2024, the only flight I booked this year, my flight was canceled less than 24 hours before take-off. I had made hotel reservations, scheduled a pet sitter, planned events, and arranged for a friend to pick me up at the destination airport. One employee speculated that it may have been "insufficient crew." Their only solution offered was: Feel free to reschedule your flight.

Thanksgiving facts and figures
The travel window runs from November 21 to December 3, and the airline expects to carry more than 500,000 more customers than it did last year.

The most-traveled day will be Sunday, December 1. The second most-traveled day will be Monday, December 2.

The peak of peak: 1,035 mainline and regional aircraft will be enroute at 10:45 am on Sunday, December 1 — the highest number of flights handled at any given time during American’s travel period.

The airline expects to serve more than 6.8 million Biscoff cookies on board from November 21 to December 3.

Travel tips
Download the American Airlines app and check in for your flight, noting added any bags to your trip. This will save you time at the airport.

If traveling internationally, download the Mobile Passport Control app, which can speed up your entry into the U.S. Global Entry members can download the Global Entry app, which allows you to submit your entry and go straight to the officer.

Upon arrival at the airport lobby, scan your mobile boarding pass to print bag tags quickly at a kiosk. If you’re not checking bags, go straight to TSA security with your mobile boarding pass.

holidays