Travelers going to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Airport’s Terminal C will see four new gates with stylish 16-foot ceilings and arching wooden benches.
On Wednesday, DFW International Airport opened the gates to the new section, which features dimmable glass windows and artificial trees with sparkling lights. Airlines funded the expansion via through gate and landing fees.
The new section of the airport’s most active terminal is part of a $139 million development project to eventually see nine new gates added to Terminals A and C. The newly opened gates are at the southern end of Terminal C next to the Skylink rail linking Terminals C and E. The new gates are numbers 36 through 39.
DFW Airport expects about 25 million passengers to fly during this summer season, based on the number of flights American Airlines and others have scheduled between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to flight schedule service Cirium. After two years of fewer flights, American and other airlines expect more travelers and use bigger aircraft to get them to their destinations.
DFW Airport’s Executive Vice President of Infrastructure and Development Khaled Naja said, “Customers will experience a much more relaxing atmosphere at the High C gates. The new gates will also feature unique art throughout, and it sets the stage for what customers can expect for future construction at DFW.”
The new gates were built a mile away and moved into position with enormous tractors. On the eastern side of the airport, building crews constructed the six 7,000-square-foot sections individually on piers, allowing construction to begin without interrupting airport operations. In September, crews connected the 450-ton sections to the main terminal and then started work on the interior.
Naja said that operating this way reduced building time by four to five months and saved millions of dollars, even though the final cost has not yet been determined.
Other features include curved pillars with spherical video screens that provide schedule information and flatscreens hanging from the ceiling that give passengers directions. Bathrooms have smart technology such as vacancy lights on stalls and sensors to warn attendants if paper products are running low.
