Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) generates more than US$78bn annually for the North Texas economy and supports 684,000 jobs across the region, according to a new economic impact study released by The Perryman Group.
The report shows that DFW’s economic influence has expanded significantly over the past decade, driven by record passenger traffic, growth in domestic and international air services and broader regional development. Since 2014, the airport’s annual gross product – the value created by airport-related activity – has risen from US$46.4bn to US$78.3bn, a 69% increase.
Dallas mayor Eric L Johnson said the findings reflect the strength of the wider regional economy: “DFW Airport continues to be one of our region’s most powerful economic engines, and its growth reflects what we see across Dallas: a city on the rise stepping confidently into a brighter future.”
Fort Worth mayor Mattie Parker highlighted the airport’s role as a gateway for the region, noting that the study reveals “remarkable job growth” and confirms DFW as “a major economic driver for Fort Worth and the entire North Texas region.”
The Perryman Group, which has assessed DFW’s economic impact every five years since 2014, identified increases across all major indicators:
- Total expenditures linked to the airport rose from US$87bn in 2014 to US$146bn in 2024, up 68%;
- Employment supported directly and indirectly by airport activity increased from 508,000 to 684,000 jobs, a 35% rise. More than 50,600 people now work at the airport itself;
- Personal income generated by airport-related activity grew from US$28.3bn to US$47.7bn over the same period, an increase of nearly 69%.
DeMetris Sampson, chair of the DFW board of directors, said the airport’s economic impact “reaches far beyond travel,” adding that the growth “translates directly into new jobs, stronger small businesses and expanded connections with the Texas economy.”
DFW chief executive Chris McLaughlin said the airport is preparing to handle 100 million passengers annually by the end of the decade. Investment in new terminals, modernized roadways and expanded infrastructure is intended to ensure the airport “continues to grow smartly and remain ready for the needs of the future.”
Although DFW does not use taxpayer funds for operations, the study estimates that airport-related activity generates more than US$14bn in annual federal tax revenue, alongside US$5bn for the state and US$3.4bn for local entities. The airport’s US$12bn capital program – including airfield projects, facility upgrades and the new Terminal F – is expected to generate nearly US$5bn in additional tax revenue once completed.
Ray Perryman, the founder and CEO of The Perryman Group, described DFW as “a major catalyst to continuing development,” noting that its operations provide “substantial – and growing – economic and fiscal benefits to the region, state and nation.”
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