'Power of the DFW hub': Why your next trip across the Pacific might be via Texas
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is America’s second busiest airport and one of its largest hubs. Travelers today can get from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Fiji with one quick stop at DFW; a route that 20 years ago would have taken three or more flights to complete.
Nadi International Airport (NAN) is one of DFW’s newest nonstop destinations. Fiji Airways began thrice-weekly flights Dec. 10, the latest in a surge of new Asia-Pacific routes from the megahub.
And while there are certainly plenty of North Texans eager to enjoy the beaches of Fiji, the new service is about a lot more than just Dallas and Fort Worth.
“This new route significantly enhances Fiji Airways' connectivity in North America,” said Andre Viljoen, CEO and managing director of the airline, in a statement.
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Fiji Airways, which recently joined the Oneworld Alliance that includes DFW’s hometown carrier American Airlines, benefits from connections to American’s expansive network of routes from the airport. This includes at least 17 routes from Dallas, including to Boston, Miami and New York, that Fiji Airways is selling with its own “FJ” code — known as a codeshare — according to schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Since 2019, DFW has added four new nonstop routes to the Asia-Pacific region — Auckland Airport (AKL) in New Zealand; Brisbane Airport (BNE) and Melbourne Airport (MEL) in Australia; and NAN in Fiji — while also seeing Tokyo flights shift to the more convenient Haneda Airport (HND) from Narita International Airport (NRT), Cirium data shows. And in 2025, Cathay Pacific will add flights to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) — American flew the DFW-HKG route until 2019 but exited the market during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic — and EVA Airways flights to Taipei's Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).
“It’s the power of the DFW hub,” Brian Znotins, senior vice president of network planning at American, said in an interview. American has added new flights to Auckland, Brisbane, and Tokyo Haneda, while most of the other additions are on Oneworld partners.
The hub is “great for our partners in Oneworld who are looking to feed the entire U.S., Latin America and Canada — depending on which direction they’re going, there are many different efficient routings you can offer over DFW,” Znotins added.
Qantas, a longtime American partner, will add a fourth weekly DFW-MEL flight in February 2025 and more than double capacity on its DFW-Sydney Airport (SYD) route when it swaps a 236-seat Boeing 787-9 for a 485-seat Airbus A380 next August.
“Post-Covid, we continue to see great demand from both the local market and customers connecting through DFW on our partner American Airlines, and this underpins our decision to increase flying out of DFW,” Cam Wallace, CEO of Qantas International, said in an email.
Qantas flyers can connect to more than 200 destinations on American via DFW, Wallace added.
Underpinning the connectivity of American’s hub at DFW is the sheer size of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The region is the fourth largest in the U.S., with an estimated 8.1 million residents in 2023, according to U.S. Census data. It is home to dozens of big corporate names, including ExxonMobil, Texas Instruments and Toyota USA.
EVA, which will launch five weekly flights to DFW from TPE in November 2025, cited that corporate presence among reasons for adding the metroplex to its list of U.S. destinations.
“With frequent business activities and convenient connections to Central and South America, the new route is expected to fulfill high passenger and cargo demands,” the Taiwanese airline said in a statement.
EVA stands out among the new entrants to DFW as being neither a member of Oneworld — it’s in Star Alliance — nor a partner of American Airlines. Asked about the connectivity it envisions over DFW, the airline said in a statement that it is “open to exploring more interline partners to work with.”
DFW is betting the surge in new flights will continue. Its own estimates have passenger numbers surpassing 100 million annually in 2028; the airport handled nearly 87 million passengers during the year ending in September, DFW’s latest data shows. International passenger numbers are estimated to grow at a compound annual rate of over 3% between September 2024 and the end of 2028.
The airport broke ground on a new 15-gate Terminal F in November. The facility is scheduled to open in 2027.
Asked about what’s next for American routes to Asia from DFW, Znotins mentioned both Beijing — a city American served before COVID-19 — and Singapore as potential opportunities, but he emphasized that there are no plans to add flights to either currently.
“It’s about choosing the best route and not necessarily any profitable route,” he said.
Related reading:
- Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
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- American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- American Airlines basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.