holiday travel news

DFW expected to be 2nd busiest U.S. airport during 2025 holiday season

DFW is projected to handle more than 7.98 million passengers during the 2025 holiday travel season, the report found.

North Texas travelers should budget extra time if they're flying from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. DFW is expected to see the second-highest passenger numbers in the country this holiday season, a new report says.

According to transport services provider Transfeero, DFW is estimated to receive nearly 7.98 million passengers during the 2025 holiday season, up from 5.86 million on average over the last five years.

DFW Airport posted to social media on November 21 that they're expecting about 3 million travelers to pass through the airport during the Thanksgiving travel period alone, November 21-December 2.

To come up with its estimates and rankings, Transfeero's experts analyzed 2020-2024 travel data for the months of November and December across 29 major U.S. airports to predict passenger numbers for 2025. The report also calculated the average number of passengers from 2020-2024 during the last two months of each year, combined it with 2025 estimates, and determined the expected growth rate for the upcoming travel season.

DFW's predicted surge in passenger traffic is 40 percent higher than the five-year average, the data revealed. The report also expressed that the busy travel season confirms "DFW's role as the central cross-country connector."

"Serving as American Airlines’ main base, [DFW's] location between coasts makes it an essential layover hub for both domestic and international travelers," the report's author wrote.

DFW's projected holiday passenger traffic was only outdone by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia. ATL is expected to see about 10.43 million passengers from November-December 2025, compared to a five-year average of about 7.04 million passengers.

The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics says November and December air travel often spikes by 20 percent or more when compared to the fall months.

"Every year, the final two months of the calendar bring a storm of travelers packing terminals, queuing for security, and racing to catch flights," the report said. "Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve, airports across America transform into organized chaos, moving millions of passengers eager to reunite with loved ones or escape to warmer destinations."

Projected air travel at other Texas airports
Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) ranked No. 15 on the Transfeero's list of the country's busiest airports during the 2025 holiday travel season. From 2020-2024, IAH saw an average 3.19 million passengers during November and December, and the number of passengers this year is expected to increase by 43 percent to 4.58 million travelers.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) ranked at the bottom of the list as the 28th busiest airport, despite passenger traffic expected to soar nearly 56 percent compared to previous years. An average 1.46 million passengers traveled through AUS during the months of November and December from 2020-2024, and the airport is expected to see over 2.27 million passengers during the same two-month period this year.

"The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported in 2024 that Thanksgiving weekend alone saw over 30 million travelers, setting a record," the report said. "With consumer confidence rebounding and international restrictions long lifted, 2025 is shaping up to be another record year."

The top 10 U.S. airports expected to handle the most passenger traffic during the 2025 holiday season are:

No. 1 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
No. 2 – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
No. 3 – Denver International Airport
No. 4 – Chicago O'Hare International Airport
No. 5 – Los Angeles International Airport
No. 6 – John F. Kennedy International Airport
No. 7 – Harry Reid International Airport
No. 8 – Orlando International Airport
No. 9 – Charlotte Douglas International Airport
No. 10 – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

holidays airport

Downtown News

Dallas convention center re-do will shut down DART stop for 3 years

Courtesy photo

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is about to shut down its stop at the Convention Center Station for the next three years.

The agency is being forced to close the station to accommodate the city of Dallas' construction and redevelopment of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. As part of the project, the station will be closed for the duration of construction, which is currently estimated at three years.

The Convention Center Station is a stop on both the Red and Blue lines, and the shutdown will affect anyone traveling to or from southwest Dallas. North Dallas, Plano, Rowlett, and Carrollton will thankfully be spared.

Rail detours
Riders who previously used the Convention Center Station will be directed to nearby alternative stations at Cedars or EBJ Union. DART has prepared clear signage, rider alerts, and bus connections to support customers and make navigating the closure as easy as possible.

Bus detours
Routes 28 and 106 will maintain regular service outside of downtown. Within downtown, instead of taking Lamar to the Convention Center, the bus will turn left on Young Street, right on Akard Street, right on Marilla Street where the Akard and Marilla bus stop is located (stop number 20685).

Outbound, routes 28 and 106 will turn left on Young Street, right on Lamar Street and then proceed on their regular route.

Layover at Akard and Marilla: Passengers deboard at Cedars Station and take the special South Dallas GoLink to bus stops at Akard and Marilla or to EBJ Union Station.

Route 224 will operate a detour going inbound. Inbound trips will come downtown via Elm and continue to Houston, turn left on Commerce and continue to Harwood. It will then turn left to go to the East Transfer Center where it will layover. Outbound trips will originate from the East Transfer Center and operate a regular route out of downtown.

Layover at East Transfer Center

Passengers arriving by train can deboard at Convention Center Station to board route 224.
Another option for passengers is to deboard at Akard Station, then board 224 at Elm and Akard.

Route 383 East Transfer Center is your final stop. 383 will not continue past this station. This route will be discontinued on February 02, 2026.

DART will implement a new GoLink Zone for Convention Center Station customers that will only provide service for trips originating at EBJ Union Station, Cedars Station, or the substitute bus layover location on Akard and Marilla and terminating at one of those locations.

The service will operate 7 days a week, from 5 am to midnight. Customers using this GoLink Zone may only travel between these three designated points.

All changes will be reflected online and in the GoPass app for the duration of construction.

downtown transportation