Why is there a charge to pick up passengers at DFW International Airport?

If you’ve gone to DFW International Airport, whether to park your car, pick up a friend or drive through, you’ve likely had to pay to enter.

Any vehicle that enters the airport pays a fee, whether it’s locals picking up passengers, ride-share drivers or those who park there. Drivers that stay on airport property for 8 to 30 minutes are charged $2. Any pass-through vehicles, or people that cut across the airport to go somewhere else, also get charged depending on how long they’re on property. That rate increases to $9 on May 1, but currently is $6.

In 2019, the airport discussed pass-through drivers on the property, hoping an upped fee would discourage drivers from using the airport to save time while driving. The roads were not meant to be treated as toll roads, officials said at the time.

The roads through the airport are built and operated by the airport itself. Money to build and maintain those roads comes through the airport’s operating budget, not through TxDOT or state or local dollars.

Also increasing on May 1 are terminal daily parking rates — previously $27, now $32; express covered rates previously $18, now $21; express uncovered rates previously $15, now $18; remote rates previously $12, now $14; valet rates previously $40, now $45.

Parking rates have increased twice in the past seven years.

DFW International Airport is the second-largest airport in the United States with more than 81.7 million passengers in 2023 and the largest hub for Fort Worth-based American Airlines with more than 82% of all passengers.