The Big Picture

Once touted as the Biggest Airport in the World, D/FW is fairly daunting, and expanding apace. It has a relatively user-friendly layout, however, with semi-circular terminals laid out around two main spines traversed by light-rail lines. It's as predictable as Atlanta's Hartsfield, for instance, without the vast rectangular warehouse-like feel; D/FW localities always feel compact and cozy. D/FW is a much more rational place than JFK or O'Hare. Connections are generally easy to find and make, though if you fly on American (which does most of the business at D/FW) your next gate may be quite a hike. Use the secure side monorail to get from one side to the otehr

Places to Eat

• The new International Terminal at DFW has a beautiful layout and many places to choose from..

Au Bon Pain Cafй D28, International Arrivals

Auntie Anne's Pretzels D12, D36

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream D12, D27

Bennigan's D11

Blue Bamboo Xpress D31

Blue Mesa Taco & Tequila Bar D31

Camille's Sidewalk Cafй D27

Cantina Laredo D27 Mezzanine

Champps Grill & Bar D24

Cool River Cafй D25

Cousin's Bar-B-Q D28

Einstein Bros. Bagels (Marchй) D18

Fuddruckers Hamburgers (Marchй) D18

Jazzman's Cafй D10, D28

La Bodega Winery D14

McDonald's D33

Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits D22

Reata Grill D33 Mezzanine

Starbucks Coffee D25

T.G.I. Friday's D34

Tigin Irish Pub & Restaurant D20

Try Blue Mesa or Reata for amazing eats.

Wifi

Getting Through Security

• Each terminal has several security entries, so if you come in at one that features a long line, walk along the exterior semicircle till you come to the next. This can be a tossup of sorts. Some of the security entries have parallel first/business/AA Platinum-Gold entries, if you qualify; these are usually deserted.

Parking

• Best value by far is North and South Remote. It's not much quicker to use North or South Express, because you have to drive a long way in to get there. The Express lots are quite a bit more expensive but compensate with amenities like free bottles of water (sporadically); the Express lots are also much bigger, so you may arrive to find Remote full and have to drive in and use Express. Terminal or "Infield" parking is very crowded and never recommended, unless you can use one-hour spaces while you are picking someone up. One beauty of D/FW is that the entire airport is a parking lot; you pay only at the airport exit, rather than at ad hoc lots here & there. But that also means that you can't drive in for free for pickup and dropoff. Be aware that the central drive of the airport is basically a toll road, used by some commuters to get from one part of the Metroplex to another. Exits from that drive are on your left and entrances on your right, good for traffic flow but hard to get used to.

Getting a Cocktail

• As with food, good luck.TGI Fridays in Terminal C is a good bet as well as taking the quick monorail over to Terminal D. Don't worry about security, the monorail is within the secure side of the terminal.

Clubs

American Airlines Admirals club in A,B,C,D. You can by a day pass for $50.00

Killing a few Hours

• You are vastly far from any point of interest in the Metroplex. The closest city is Arlington, a few miles south, but unless the Rangers are playing the night you lay over, there ain't much to do there.

Huge Grapevine Mills mall is one mile north of the airport and great for shopping, eating or killing a few hours.

Other Comments

• The barbershop at C17 is brisk and the barbers outstanding.
• Hudson at C10 is a decent airport bookshop.