Airport news

Dallas Love Field lands No. 3 ranking among best large airports in U.S.

Love Field nails down the highest finish among six Texas airports.

Dallas Love Field

Dallas Love Field flies to the top of a new ranking of the best major airports in Texas.

Nationally, Love Field ranks third in the large-airport category of J.D. Powers’ 2022 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. With a score of 825 on a 1,000-point scale, Love Field nails down the highest finish among the six Texas airports included in the study.

Love Field is preceded on the large-airport list by Tampa International Airport in Florida (846) and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California (826).

“Providing a first-rate customer experience is, without question, our No. 1 goal,” Mark Duebner, aviation director for the City of Dallas, said in a 2021 news release issued by Love Field.

The J.D. Power study measures overall traveler satisfaction with mega, large, and midsize North American airports by examining six factors: terminal facilities; airport arrivals and departures; baggage claim; security check; check-in and baggage check; and food, beverage, and retail.

The study is based on survey responses from 26,529 U.S. and Canadian residents who had traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport in the previous 30 days.

Among the six Texas airports featured in the study, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport — the world’s second busiest airport — lands at No. 5 (score of 778) statewide. On the list of mega airports, DFW appears at No. 8, with Minneapolis-Saint Paul International claiming the top spot.

“At DFW, we continue on a path forward that prioritizes the customer’s journey, operational excellence, and a culture that welcomes all to North Texas,” Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW, said in an April news release.

Here’s how the four other Texas airports fared in the J.D. Power study:

Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport, No. 2 in Texas and No. 8 among large airports (score of 803)
San Antonio International Airport, No. 3 in Texas and No. 9 among large airports (score of 802)
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, No. 4 in Texas and No. 15 among large airports (score of 785)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston, No. 6 in Texas and No. 16 among mega airports (score of 758)

J.D. Power says overall satisfaction with North American airports fell 25 points to 777 in the new study.

“The combination of pent-up demand for air travel, the nationwide labor shortage, and steadily rising prices on everything from jet fuel to a bottle of water have created a scenario in which airports are extremely crowded and passengers are increasingly frustrated — and it is likely to continue through 2023,” says Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power.

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Longtime Arlington hotel will be demolished to make way for sleek new one

Courtesy rendering

Americana by Loews Hotels, coming to Arlington.

It will be out with Sheraton and in with Americana in Arlington's Entertainment District when a new $500 million hotel called Americana by Loews Hotels – Arlington, TX, breaks ground in summer 2026.

The transition from old to new will involve a bit of a blast.

"A 'ground-shaking' event, where the existing [Sheraton Arlington] hotel will be demolished, is planned for early June, marking the official start of construction on the new Americana by Loews Hotel this summer," says a release.

This will mark the third hotel in Arlington (and 28th property overall) for Loews Hotels & Co, "reinforcing the company’s long-term belief in the destination and its continued growth as a premier meetings, events, and entertainment hub," says the release.

The name "Americana" pays homage to the iconic Americana Hotel in Bal Harbour, Florida — a Loews landmark that opened in 1956, the company says.

"This new, contemporary addition to the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is designed to honor the past, embrace the present, and shape the future: celebrating Loews’ rich heritage in refined hospitality, joining two existing world-class properties in Arlington’s Sports and Entertainment District today, and creating a best-in-class destination for tomorrow’s travelers," company officials say in the release.

The two existing Loews hotels in Arlington are the Live! by Loews - Arlington and Loews Arlington Hotel.

The new Americana hotel will feature 507 guest rooms, including 39 suites. There will also be more than 83,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, including a 10,000-square-foot Event Barn, two ballrooms, an event lawn, pool terrace, and three-meal terrace.

In total, Loews Hotels & Co campus in Arlington will have a total of 1,695 guest rooms and more than 374,000 square feet of meeting space, they say.

All the hotels are a quick walk from entertainment hot spots including AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Choctaw Stadium, Live! by Loews, the National Medal of Honor Museum, Arlington Museum of Art, and more.

“This project reflects our strong belief in Arlington as a dynamic destination and our confidence in its continued growth,” says Alex Tisch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Loews Hotels & Co.

The hotel is targeting 2029 for an opening date.

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