3. GCK airport, and departing for home, GCK-DFW-BOS

After a solid stay at the Hampton Inn, and after some more driving and photography, I was ready to go home. I caught the afternoon GCK-DFW flight back to head home.

GCK airport itself is very small. The checkin area at BOS for AA is as large as the entire airport. As a small regional airport with 2 44-seat flights in and out daily, this isn't really a surprise.

Some pictures of the airport:

The entrance from the 4 lane divided highway (not a freeway):


Airport direction sign:


The entrance:


No smoking, and no guns!


Pre-security, the AA checkin counter is around the corner. Off to the left are the Hertz and Enterprise rental car counters. Behind me is a small seating area (TSA does not open until maybe 45 minutes before scheduled departure) and a small restaurant:


GCK has only a metal detector, fortunately no body scanners. Thus, security was quick and painless. I truly don't think they have room for a body scanner. Post-security was a bathroom, a vending machine, and exactly 45 chairs.
AA's announcement of service, starting nine months prior to my visit:


GCK also has no jetways. Even when using a ramp, boarding an aircraft outside is always a great sight to see, a reminder that you aren't simply going from one covered area to another, but are actually boarding something that flies:


The GCK-DFW flight was also uneventful, but had some of the clearest weather at DFW that I've ever had. We also took a landing route that provided some excellent photographic opportunities, and I was fortunately on the better side for this.

DFW Airport from the air:


Cowboys Stadium, with the Ballpark at Arlington in the upper right corner:


CR Smith museum and FAA ops just south of DFW Airport, the headquarters of American Airlines are out of sight but directly below the airplane:


I ended up missing my upgrade DFW-BOS as well, again despite booking 7 months in advance. There were at least three EXPs in the back on the early Sunday evening flight. It was only my second missed upgrade as an EXP.

Overall, despite the reputation that pervades anywhere with a similar location, I enjoyed my trip to deep in the heart of flyover country, AKA the middle of nowhere. I was interested by the amount of culture GCK had, as many coastal-biased people feel that the East and West coasts have some sort of monopoly on culture, with a morass of it for most points in between. I would say 24 hours was definitely enough to experience everything worth seeing and doing in GCK, though. Thank you for reading! Until next time...