Road trips

Dallas luxury motorcoach Vonlane expands service and lowers select fares to 2 Texas cities

Vonlane's on the road even more now.

Courtesy photo

In a major turnaround from the raging pandemic times of 2020 and 2021, travel demand is now exceeding expectations in Texas, and Dallas-based Vonlane is hitting the road more frequently to get travelers where they want to go.

According to a February 7 release, the luxury bus operator has introduced 24 new departures per week to its two most popular routes, Dallas-Austin and Dallas-Houston (both ways). In addition, Vonlane is lowering fares to $89 on select departures for a limited time. More on that in a sec.

The newly added departures are:

Dallas-Austin: 8 am and 8 pm on Monday, Thursday, and Friday
Austin-Dallas: 8 am and 8 pm on Monday, Thursday, and Friday
Dallas-Houston: 7 am and 8:30 pm on Monday, Thursday, and Friday
Houston-Dallas: 7 am and 8:30 pm on Monday, Thursday, and Friday

For the first time, Vonlane offers service every two hours between Dallas and Austin, beginning am 6 am, both ways. There now are eight daily trips between Dallas and Houston on these days, beginning at 6 am.

A more limited schedule operates in all cities on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Last year, Vonlane also revived service between Dallas and Oklahoma City, a route that had been on hold due to the pandemic. It is the only route outside of Texas, although service to Nashville and Atlanta had been announced, pre-COVID.

Now, for the incentive: To help travelers get back on track for business and leisure travel in 2022, the company is offering $89 one-way fares for late departure times, but only through the end of February. (Normal fares are $99-$109.) The reduced fares apply to departures at 7:30 pm, 8 pm, and 8:30 pm in Dallas, Austin, and Houston.

Vonlane launched its high-end bus service in 2014 with the Dallas-to-Austin route. Each bus, which holds fewer than two dozen passengers, features amenities like Wi-Fi, satellite TV and radio, and leather seats. For many Texas travelers, it's become a convenient way to bypass the hassles of airline travel in recent years.

"Vonlane’s signature experience — including a spacious cabin, leather chairs, complimentary wifi and snacks, and on-board crew service — has created a loyal following of travelers throughout Texas and Oklahoma," the company says in the release.

For more information, schedules, and booking, visit the website.

transportation

Airport News

DFW Airport seeks local restaurants to fill 14 new open slots

Manning

DFW Airport restaurants

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is seeking new restaurants who want to open a location on the premises. According to a release, the airport has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting local brands and flavors to apply for 14 retail and dining locations across multiple terminals.

“As we build new gates, reimagine existing spaces and construct a new Terminal F, DFW Airport is committed to showcasing our region through our shops and restaurants so that when people travel through our terminals, there’s no denying they have arrived in the heart of Dallas and Fort Worth,” says DFW Chief Revenue Officer Ken Buchanan in a statement. “DFW serves tens of millions of travelers each year, and this is a chance for local businesses to help create an incredible sense of place within our terminals.”

The RFP is open for submissions now through February 2, 2026, and includes 11 food and beverage opportunities and three specialty retail locations across Terminals A, B, E, and F.

Concepts range from fast-casual, fast-food, and grab-and-go concepts to frozen treats, popcorn, cosmetics, and specialty retail.

All proposal submissions must be made through the Bonfire Procurement Platform.

DFW welcomed approximately 87 million customers in 2024, with continued growth projected to surpass 100 million passengers per year before 2030.

The latest RFP opportunity comes as DFW continues to make progress on its $12 billion capital improvement plan, DFW Forward, which is transforming terminals, expanding gate capacity and enhancing the customer experience across the entire airport. In addition to the new Terminal F, DFW is rebuilding Terminal C and expanding gate areas in Terminals A and C – projects that will introduce modern spaces, new amenities and a stronger platform for small and local businesses to grow inside one of the world’s busiest airports.

airport openings