Resort News

Choctaw resort debuts new hotel and casino one hour's drive from Dallas

It's a popular destination for the proverbial staycation.

Photo courtesy of Choctaw Resort and Casino

An entertainment destination for many North Texans has opened a much anticipated major expansion: Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Oklahoma, has debuted the new Sky Tower Hotel and a casino, expanding its status as a quick getaway destination.

The new hotel is 21 stories tall and has 1,000 rooms, and comes with a collection of new restaurants, lounges, and entertainment options, plus a collection of Choctaw art. Two new pools are rumored to be coming soon.

This expansion has been in the works since 2019, and is the fourth major upgrade at the resort and casino since the property debuted in 2006. It makes it one of the largest gambling resorts in the U.S.

Choctaw Casino & Resort–Durant is a three-level convention/entertainment venue whose amenities include swimming, shopping, dining, and spa, plus The District, an entertainment complex with dining, drinks, bowling lanes, 70-game arcade, and movie theater.

This expansion adds 3,300 additional slot machines, table games, a new poker room, new restaurants, bars, movie theaters and three-acres of swimming pools.

Choctaw is in southeastern Oklahoma, a mere 100 miles from Dallas, and with its combination of casino and other amenities is a popular weekend staycation option. Choctaw also has a number of trails and state parks nearby.

Heidi Grant, Choctaw's Executive Officer of Gaming & Hospitality, says in a statement that the expansion adds modern touches to the resort, with some whimsical touches including art on the ceilings. "Every detail is intentional," Grant says.

They're also hosting a pair of special exhibits in partnership with Coca-Cola:

Find Yourself at Choctaw – a Digital Mosaic Experience. Located in the South Entrance to the Sky Tower, this interactive experience takes photos of participating guests and adds them to a larger-than-life digital mosaic. Guests who submit to photos can find themselves added on August 13-14, August 20-21, and August 27-28. Those who participate get a printout of their photo, access to the digital mosaic made up of all the collected images, and other giveaways.

Live Art Installation
Watch the history of Choctaw Casino & Resort - Durant come to life through the eyes and work of Choctaw artists Steven Paul Judd, Antonia Belindo, Dylan Cavin, D.G. Smalling, and more. Each weekend in August, one artist will host a live art installation where you can watch the artists at work. August 13-14, August 20-21, and August 27-28 in the Sky Tower South Entrance.

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Airline News

Frontier Airlines adds two new destination cities out of DFW Airport

Frontier Airlines/ Facebook

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Low-cost Denver-based Frontier Airlines has launched nonstop service from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to two new destinations in Central America.

According to a release, the carrier will offer the following new flights:

Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA) - weekly
San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) - 2x/week

With these new routes, Frontier will serve 40 destinations nonstop from DFW, exemplifying Frontier’s impressive network growth as it continues to add more affordable and convenient travel options across the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America.

The frequency of the flights is a little confusing. Guatemala City is "weekly" which seems to imply "once a week." San Salvador is "2x/week" which seems to imply two flights a week. However, if you try to book a flight to either city, you get all sorts of options, including weekends and a few randomly spaced weekdays. And the flight availability extends only through January.

Frontier Airlines VP of network and operations design Josh Flyr says in a statement that "there’s a lot to be excited about" including their expanding network and their rolling out First Class in early 2026.

Other changes at Frontier include UpFront Plus seating, an upgraded seating option with extra leg and elbow room in the first two rows of the aircraft, with choice of a window or aisle seat with extra legroom and a guaranteed empty middle seat.

To celebrate, they'll offer a fare sale starting at $79. Tickets must be purchased by 10:59 pm Dallas time on December 30, 2025. Sale fares are valid for nonstop travel on select days of the week January 5-April 13, 2026. Blackout dates apply on March 9 and March 31, and from April 1-6. And a 14-day advance purchase is required.

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