Gates D1-D4 at DFW
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP 4MM
Posts: 811
Gates D1-D4 at DFW
I had the experience of finding my way to gate D1 at DFW on 5/30/21. I had no idea that there was a new wing attached to terminal D, and that the distance from the Skylink was excessive (for me). Does anyone know if there is a plan to improve access to these gates?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,492
No. I have no idea how they could "improve access" to those gates. Skylink wasn't built to accommodate additional stations in existing terminals (though it does have provisions for stations in terminal F)
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,252
#4
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,848
If you land at B1 and have a connecting flight at D1, you know you are having a bad day.
From a practical standpoint, I don't find the low B gates super terrible, my DFW//SWO flights used them quite a bit before the E nest took the E140/145 flights. I usually would just walk there from wherever because after considering the walk to the Skylink and then from the B skylink, you might as well just hike direct from most gates, using the southend A to B and/or north end C to D people-movers across the highway which are decently fast**. But the south-end the D terminal doesn't have any connections so you really do have to take the Skylink from wherever and then still do a hike.
(**They should put some people movers along that B to D stretch though)
From a practical standpoint, I don't find the low B gates super terrible, my DFW//SWO flights used them quite a bit before the E nest took the E140/145 flights. I usually would just walk there from wherever because after considering the walk to the Skylink and then from the B skylink, you might as well just hike direct from most gates, using the southend A to B and/or north end C to D people-movers across the highway which are decently fast**. But the south-end the D terminal doesn't have any connections so you really do have to take the Skylink from wherever and then still do a hike.
(**They should put some people movers along that B to D stretch though)
#5
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MSP/BUF/BNA/LFT
Programs: AA Plat, Priority Club Gold, Choice Privileges Gold
Posts: 1,225
Getting from the Skylink to the low D-gates is no worse than the Skytrain to the E-gates in Miami or having to switch concourses in Chicago. Americans need to walk more.
#7
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,976
I also noticed for those gates the status switches to "Flight closing" like 40 minutes before departure. I always suspected that was just to instill panic and get folks moving faster, as most wouldn't realize how long the walk really was.
#8
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
#9
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,237
No kidding. I had to do that from the BA F lounge several years ago with what turned out to be a broken ankle. I was too proud to accept the lounge agent's offer to arrange assistance but was certainly regretting that decision in the middle of the hike.
I also noticed for those gates the status switches to "Flight closing" like 40 minutes before departure. I always suspected that was just to instill panic and get folks moving faster, as most wouldn't realize how long the walk really was.
I also noticed for those gates the status switches to "Flight closing" like 40 minutes before departure. I always suspected that was just to instill panic and get folks moving faster, as most wouldn't realize how long the walk really was.
LOL--i laugh not at you but with you because i have been in many different impaired states making that trek and it is almost always warm to hot to me as well. and while i am a bit less stressed by the "flight closing" it still gets me when they switch from boarding to flight closing in about 3 mins. no matter how many hundreds of flights ive taken from T3, i still get stressed by it!
#10
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: American Life Time 2 Million Mile Platinum
Posts: 368
No kidding. I had to do that from the BA F lounge several years ago with what turned out to be a broken ankle. I was too proud to accept the lounge agent's offer to arrange assistance but was certainly regretting that decision in the middle of the hike.
I also noticed for those gates the status switches to "Flight closing" like 40 minutes before departure. I always suspected that was just to instill panic and get folks moving faster, as most wouldn't realize how long the walk really was.
I also noticed for those gates the status switches to "Flight closing" like 40 minutes before departure. I always suspected that was just to instill panic and get folks moving faster, as most wouldn't realize how long the walk really was.
I did the same thing after getting a stress fracture of my left foot stepping off the curb in Berlin at a meeting.
Then made the long walk to my connection in LHR, limping badly, telling the AA service people " no thanks I don't need a buggy ride, I'll be okay".
My foot was so swollen when we got to Chicago, I had to unlace my tennis shoe to get my foot into it and then limped again from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 (love standing on it in the train) to finally get back to Rochester MN.
What a fool I was (And I am a Dr too) .
#11
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,848
The main problem is at DFW, it seems like I am nearly always running between flights and fighting my way into skylink trains to make tight connections. Most GAs there seem to get pleasure shutting the door as soon as T-15 or T-10 hits and deny boarding to people running at them.
#12
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259