Travel advisory

Top tips to navigate DFW Airport during busy, busy spring break 2026

Don't get caught running through the airport.

DFW Airport

Spring break travel through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport will require some planning and patience for both passengers and their chauffeurs. According to a release, 4.7 million customers are expected to travel to, from, and through the airport during the 2026 spring break travel period, March 5-March 24.

The busiest days (when curbsides and routes in and out of the airport will be most congested) are expected to be the weekends of March 13-16 and March 20-23, they say.

The top three overall busiest days, and volume of customers traveling to, through, or from DFW, are expected to be:

March 15: 262,000
March 22: 259,000
March 13: 253,000

The top five busiest days, and volume of customers beginning or ending their trip at DFW, are expected to be:

March 22: 126,000
March 13: 125,000
March 15: 123,000
March 12: 118,000
March 19: 116,000

"With many North Texas school districts observing spring break during the same week of March 16-20, travel demand will be more concentrated than usual, making it especially important for customers to plan ahead - including prebooking parking, allowing extra travel time and using DFW’s digital tools to help navigate peak conditions," airport officials say in the release.

Terminal curbs and access roadways will experience the highest congestion from late morning hours into the early evening each day, they say. There will also be especially heavy traffic when approaching terminals from the north, they say.

"Terminal C roadway detours remain in place on International Parkway as bridge construction continues," they advise. "Terminal C is only accessible via the southbound entrance from International Parkway. Customers arriving from the sout, will be required to travel northbound past all terminal entrances and take the left-hand U-turn exit before the North Exit Plaza to return to southbound International Parkway. Then, all customers will take the existing left-hand exit to Terminal C."

Here are some tips they give to help make travel through DFW Airport smoother during spring break:

Arrive early: Plan to arrive at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights. Using drivetime apps to check traffic conditions will ensure proper planning of transit times needed to park, check-in and clear security screening ahead of departure.

The DFW Airport mobile app, available on iOS and Android, can help provide:

Live parking availability and security wait times.
Terminal-specific alerts and construction updates.
Push notifications for helpful information.

Consider public transit: DART's Silver Line connects Plano to Terminal B with stops in Richardson, Addison, Carrollton and Coppell, while DART’s Orange Line, with service from Plano, downtown Dallas, and Irving provides direct access to Terminal A. Trinity Metro’s TEXRail connects riders to Terminal B. Additionally, Trinity Railway Express (TRE) offers service from Dallas and Fort Worth to CentrePort/DFW Airport Station, with terminal access via the TRE Link shuttle. For details on transit schedules and fares, visit DART or Trinity Metro.

Prebook parking: By prebooking parking online, customers can get the best rates as well as save decision-making time when arriving at the airport. In addition to terminal parking options, Express and Remote parking lots provide quick and convenient shuttle service to every terminal.

Follow curbside rules and parking protocols: DFW officials remind that terminal curbs are reserved for active loading and unloading only. Customers waiting to pick up passengers should use designated free cell phone lots or one-hour parking inside terminal garages.

A perk for AA customers: Customers flying American Airlines may check in at any terminal and go through security at the location with the shortest wait times, then connect to their gate using Skylink. Based on live traffic conditions, access into Terminals A, B and C are typically quickest from the north, while Terminals D and E are generally easiest to access from the south, they advise.

airport airlines tips spring break

Aerie in the sky

Nature-inspired hotel checks into Texas' tallest tower in Austin

Photo by Chase Daniel

Rooms at 1 Hotel Austin settle in simple and natural design.

A luxury hotel chain is checking into Austin, adding the Texas capital to a cohort of a dozen North American cities. Called 1 Hotel Austin, the 252-room stay is designed to blend with nature and tap into sustainable hospitality in the new Waterline building — the tallest tower in Texas. Reservations are open now for the hotel, opening in August.

A press release explains that 1 Hotel Austin looks at its surroundings where Waller Creek and Lady Bird Lake meet "through a contemporary, biophilic lens." Designers used natural materials, textures, and transitions from inside to outside — like balconies and terraces with plants, or floor-to-ceiling windows — to create a feeling of connecting with the natural world.

Foodies may already know that a highly regarded restaurant from Denver is moving in as the hotel's signature restaurant. Called Alteño Austin, the concept by Chef Johnny Curiel shows off cuisine from the Highlands of Jalisco, where he has a family connection.

$Alte\u00f1o Austin$ Alteño currently only has one location — the original — in Denver, Colorado, and one more on the way in Charleston, South Carolina.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

“There’s a respect for tradition in the way [Chef Curiel] cooks, but also a willingness to reinterpret it, and that balance is what makes his food so compelling," said Nicholas Demasi, senior vice president of food and beverage at Starwood Hotels, in the release.

There will also be two other food and beverage concepts: Watr, a "Japanese-leaning" rooftop restaurant and lounge designed to entertain guests from day to night, and Neighbors, a café and wine bar that can be accessed from the lobby and the street for coffee, juice, small plates, draft cocktails, and more, depending on the time of day.

1 Hotel Austin rooftoop Watr This rooftop restaurant will serve a Japanese-inspired menu.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

Focusing more on the amenities than the rooms, which include 60 luxury suites, the release draws attention to the building's proximity to the Rainey Street District and downtown, making both day and night activities easily accessible. Guests also have a direct connection to the more outdoorsy portion of town via the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail around the lake.

Wellness amenities include a run club, sound baths, a 2,000-square-foot fitness center, and a yoga studio. Bamford Wellness Spa will operate a space offering retail and treatments, including couples' experiences. The spa claims inspiration through Hill Country bathhouses, placing a premium on simplicity and restoration.

1 Hotel Austin guest bath This guest bath is spa-like with a dramatic view.Photo by Chase Daniel

The hotel is working on its LEED Gold certification, which would verify that the property has earned certain credits in materials, energy, waste management, and more. Gold is the second highest certification. Sustainability initiatives at the hotel will include adopting waste reduction practices for hosted events, supplying reusable in-room glassware, and introducing travelers to the 1 Less Thing program, which encourages them to leave behind a piece of gently used clothing to donate to a local organization.

“I’ve long admired Austin for its creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit,” says Barry Sternlicht, founder of 1 Hotels and chairman of Starwood Hotels. “It’s a place where innovation thrives alongside a deep respect for the environment and community. Even as the city continues to grow and evolve, it has managed to balance progress with preservation."

1 Hotels Austin entrance The dramatic entrance exemplifies the transitional design from inside the building to nature outside.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

1 Hotel Austin is located at 96 Red River St., Austin. Reservations are open now at 1hotels.com. Available August room rates are currently discounted and start at $377.

hotels openings sustainability nature