lesleync

My elderly mother is arriving from Australia to DFW (terminal D) next week. I'm flying to Dallas myself to meet her and then we're both flying on to NJ. My question is.. does anyone know of any good meeting spots in the lower level (which I'm assuming is also the baggage area) of terminal D? Something like a Starbucks or a information booth? She won't have a cell phone so we need to have a fall back place to meet if I miss her coming out of the arrivals door.

Thanks!

Mwenenzi

Have a look here
http://www.dfwairport.com/
http://www.dfwairport.com/guide/index.php

Gamecock

Unless you are also arriving from an International destination you will not be able to meet your mom until she clears customs.

My advice is to leave the secure zone and wait at the top of the escalators that will funnel her back towards the security lanes.

After you meet her don't go through the screening lines nearest the escalator but walk down the terminal to the next set of screening lines. There is almost never a wait at those lines.

Oh, welcome to FT!

lesleync

Thanks for the links. I did look at those before but I can't make out what is the lower level and upper level... plus it didn't give me any "landmarks" to use as a meeting point. But thanks again! I'm just not sure of DFW.

Spiff

The escalator up to the Grand Hyatt is a good choice.

If you don't want to re-clear "security", then the Admirals Club D is a better choice.

lesleync

Thank you for the welcome! I'm arriving at terminal A and will make my way over to Terminal D. I'll wait for her outside the doors that you come through when you've cleared customs but I was hoping for a place close by (such as a starbucks etc) to use a fall back in case I miss her. Are the escalators you talk about ones that take you from the lower to the upper level of terminal D?

Ocn Vw 1K

lesleync, welcome to FlyerTalk! For more discussion, I'll move this to the Texas forum where DFW is often discussed. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

lesleync

Thank you. :-)

jsmeeker

Don't be so sure you will arrive at A. Mainline American Airlines uses terminals A, C, and D. But in any case, the rest of the advice is still sound.

longhorn11

Second this. I've had an incoming flight be assigned to 3 different terminals before we touched down. OP, you need to play that part by ear.

MissJoeyDFW

First thing I would recommend is that you get your Mother wheelchair assistance at DFW. I do this with my 79 year old Aunt when we connect at DFW to go where ever we are going. My Aunt has had foot surgery, three knee replacements and rotator cuff surgery, so more than qualifies for a wheelchair assist. When I got my Aunt wheelchair assistance returning from Paris last summer they took her through the entire customs process and downstairs to baggage claim to collect her bags, then back upstairs to re-check her bags, through terminal D and on to the connecting gate for Denver. Since DFW is my final stop I only accompanied her through customs, baggage claim, re-check the bags and up to the re-entry of security checkpoint. I know you probably want to meet with your Mother as quickly as possible, however to do so you will have to exit security as well to do that. They generally have someone to re-check the bags going on to other US destinations after customs clearance so your Mother may not even make it to the regular baggage claim area. Consider letting the person who is taking your Mother on a wheelchair assist through that entire process and meet her at a restaurant in Terminal D on the secure side that way you don't have to exit. You can ride Skylink from whatever terminal you arrive at to the D terminal without exiting and having to go through security again.

If you have time to kill there is a great waiting area upstairs next door to Reatta Grill in terminal D. There is an elevator to get there and an escalator so you don't have to worry about mobility upstairs. When my Aunt flies into Dallas and we go to London or Paris I have them bring her from the arriving terminal/gate to Reatta Grill and we either eat there if we have time to just hang out in the waiting area that is not a part of the restaurant. Expect to tip the wheelchair assist person.