Winter Travel

Dallas cozies up as No. 4 best winter travel destination for warm-weather lovers

Everyone knows Dallas is a great destination any time of year.

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For Texans, winter in the Lone Star State brings a long-awaited respite from six months of unbearable heat. We're pretty content to finally leave the house without a double (or triple) layer of SPF. But for tourists, winter in Texas brings respite from the opposite problem: colder climates where locals actually experience things like rain and snow.

A recent WalletHub study shows Texas taking three of the top 10 "best winter vacation destinations for warm-weather lovers," with Dallas-Fort Worth landing at No. 4.

Austin came in just ahead, at No. 2.

Comparing around 70 of the largest U.S. metro areas, the study groups cities by warm and cold weather. Rather than a subjective survey of each locale's scenic beauty (in which Texas cities would also sweep the top 10, of course), WalletHub focused on the cost and convenience of traveling to each city, as well as the number of attractions and variety of activities in each destination.

As a result, the two lists rank "the cheapest U.S. destinations that are also the easiest to reach," according to the study's landing page. To compile the data, WalletHub measured 37 key metrics, including two weeks of flight data, safety indicators, and weather predictions.

In the warm weather category, Nevada's Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise metro area nabbed the No. 1 spot with an overall score of 67.18 and high marks in the number-of-attractions category (No. 2) and number of warm-weather activities (No. 1).

Austin came in a close second with an overall score of 64.76 and high marks for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles (No. 2), as well as best weather (No. 6) and number of warm-weather activities (No. 12).

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington earned top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 3) and best weather (No. 2).

In total, Texas took nine of the 37 spots in the warm weather category, with three cities in the top 5. Besides DFW and Austin, here's how other Texas metros fared on the list:

San Antonio-New Braunfels — No. 5. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 6) and lowest local costs (No. 3).
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land — No. 7. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 1) and number of attractions (No. 9).
Killeen-Temple — No. 21. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 6).
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission — No. 27. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 1).
Corpus Christi — No. 32. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 7).
Brownsville-Harlingen — No. 33.
Beaumont-Port Arthur — No. 35.

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DFW International hailed one of the 50 best airports in the world

DFW Airport

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Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is soaring to new heights upon being included in Travel and Tour World's prestigious new ranking the "50 Best Airports in the World for 2026."

DFW was recognized as a "smart airport leader" and ranked as the 18th best airport worldwide.

According to the report's methodology, the 50 best airports are those that set "the global benchmark for intelligent aviation infrastructure" by integrating "smart technologies" such as artificial intelligence (AI), biometrics, automation, and other advanced methods to support "airport operations, passenger experience, and sustainable travel initiatives."

Travel and Tour World noted DFW's use of "intelligent airfield management, automated baggage systems, and predictive analytics" that keep the busy airport operating as smoothly as possible, though the recent holiday season saw spikes in passenger traffic and travelers' stress levels.

"Integrated data platforms enhance aircraft movement efficiency, passenger processing, and terminal coordination, while continuous digital upgrades reinforce DFW's position as one of North America's most operationally advanced and resilient aviation hubs," the report said.

DFW was not the sole Texas airport to make the list; Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) appeared at No. 50. The report said IAH uses the same high-tech systems as DFW to support its "extensive international and domestic connectivity."

Meanwhile, Travel and Tour World named Dubai International Airport the No. 1 best airport globally with Singapore Changi Airport (No. 2) and San Francisco International Airport (No. 3) rounding out the top three.

"Smart airports are no longer defined by isolated technology deployments, but by how deeply intelligence is embedded across operations, passenger experience, sustainability, and enterprise decision-making," said Travel and Tour World founder and editor-in-chief Anup Kumar Keshan. "The 2026 rankings recognize airports that have moved decisively beyond experimentation into scaled, real-world execution. Where AI, biometrics, automation, and integrated data ecosystems function as mission-critical infrastructure."

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