Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories marking 50 years of DFW International Airport, previously known as Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport, which landed its first ceremonial flight in September 1973 and welcomed its first commercial passengers in January 1974, turning Dallas-Fort Worth into a major aviation hub and sparking an economic surge.
It’s not common for a traveler to walk through an airport and stop at a yoga studio, pet a therapy dog or get a fresh manicure before their flight.
But at DFW International Airport they can.
The second busiest airport in the world occupies about 26.9 square miles, and the total property is 17,183 acres. On its busiest days, the airports has shuffled hundreds of thousands of passengers through North Texas and beyond.
Whether you are a traveler just passing through or have a lengthy layover, here are some of the hidden gems at DFW Airport.
Bingo, a basset hound mix, and his handler Tim Daugherty love helping ease the stress of travelers. Bingo also love kids.
He’s one of a handful of DFW’s therapy dogs that walk the terminals hoping to meet new faces.
Therapy dogs, also known as DFW’s “K9 Crew” will patrol the airport on days when groups of volunteers come in. Passengers can stop and pet the canines ahead of their flight.
The program started in 2016. To be eligible for the program, all dogs and their handlers have to be a member of a local and national pet therapy organization. The dogs volunteer two times a month with a one-year commitment. Handlers are DFW Airport Ambassador Volunteers.
If you’re looking for a spa treatment while waiting for your flight, XpresSpa has you covered.
Maria Negrete, assistant manager of XpresSpa at DFW Airport, said the spa focuses on the wellness of travelers.
The XpresSpa offers manicures, pedicures and massages including back, hand, foot and hydromassage lounge chairs.
There are several spas at DFW Airport. XpresSpa Services is located in Terminal A, Spa Here is located in Terminal C and Be Relax is located in Terminals B and D.
If your flight was delayed until the next day, Minute Suites offers travelers the opportunity to book a private room for the night in the airport.
Lizbeth Perez, multi-unit general manager at Minute Suites said there are 10 suites at Terminal D and two showers available. Showers have a one-hour minimum for $48, according to the Minute Suites website. An extended eight-hour stay is $175. Members of the military and first responders are also eligible for discounts.
“We have a lot of crewmembers and pilots that take a quick nap and they go back out,” Perez said.
There are two Minute Suites, located in Terminals A and D. The airport is also home to three hotels: the Hyatt Regency, the Grand Hyatt and the Hyatt Place.
In Terminal E, there is a private studio where travelers can pull up a mat and practice yoga.
Travelers can sign in on a book available at a table near the studio. Many travelers leave their thoughts in the book, thanking the airport for the space.
The yoga studio is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For a spine adjustment after a long flight, there are also chiropractors on standby at DFW Airport.
Nick Conrad, chiropractor and owner of Conrad Spine and Sport in Frisco, said there are a handful of chiropractors that will rotate at the airport, but practice regularly elsewhere. He said Sundays can be the Chiroport’s busiest day, but it can depend on how busy the flight schedule is.
“People who have like a turbulent flight or are just really tense, they’ll come in and get the muscle work or we do an adjustment,” Conrad said. “Whatever we can do to help them.”
Chiroports are located in Terminals A and B.
The first “Coca-Cola Around The World Experience” is located in Terminal D, a space for passengers to check out a Coke mini-museum.
Local bottler Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages opened the 2,016-square-foot space in Nov. 2020. The space is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to passengers. Coca-Cola also has two lounges called “The Bubble by Coke” in Terminals A and E.
While waiting for a flight in Terminal C, there’s a “park” available for passengers to sit near and overlook the runways.
The park features 16-foot ceilings with curved wood, tall glass windows that can be dimmed and artificial trees with twinkling lights at the ends of the branches.
For gamers with time to kill, Gameway is the stop.
Playstation 5s, Xbox consoles and Playstation 4s are all lined in a row and loaded with the latest games for a sports fan, Call of Duty fan, or even a Roblox gamer to enjoy. Gameway has games for children too.
Izzy DePlaza, assistant general manager in the Terminal E location, said the Gameway locations draw crewmembers from airlines, young adults, and even children with their parents to spend time playing games.
“We’ve loaded all the systems with the newest games, all the accounts are set up and we even provide our internet service so people can play online against each other,” DePlaza said.
Gameway has two locations at DFW Airport, in Terminals B and E.
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