Connecting between Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field is a common trip: a domestic connection at Love Field after an international arrival at DFW, a Southwest flight out of DAL after landing at DFW, or a driver meeting a family at one airport and delivering them to the other. The good news is that the two airports are close. Here is the full picture: distance, drive time, and every transfer option compared. DFW to Love Field shuttle
How Far Is DFW from Dallas Love Field?
The two airports sit about 17 to 20 road miles apart, depending on the route you take through the western Metroplex. Among completed door-to-door trips between DFW and Love Field over the past year, the median one-way distance was 18 miles, and the distance barely varied from trip to trip because the route options are few and direct. By Texas standards this is a short hop, but it is not a walk-across-the-street one: the two airports serve entirely different parts of the region, and there is no people-mover between them. Love Field airport shuttle
How Long Does the Drive Take?
In normal traffic the airport-to-airport drive runs about 25 to 40 minutes, typically via State Highway 114 or State Highway 183 and State Highway 161. Rush hour stretches that materially, and midday incidents on 114 or 183 can add 20 minutes or more. If you are connecting to a departing flight at the other airport, budget at least two hours of buffer between landing at one and checking in at the other, more at peak departure waves. DFW airport shuttle service
Option 1: Door-to-Door Shuttle or Private Car
For most travelers carrying luggage, a reserved shuttle or private car is the cleanest transfer: one vehicle, curbside to curbside, no transfers with bags. Real completed airport-to-airport trips between DFW and Love Field over the past year priced at a median of about $50 one way, with 25 percent under $47 and 75 percent under $56. Because these are flat pre-booked rates, the price is locked when you reserve rather than metered by traffic or route. DFW public transit connections
Option 2: Public Transit on DART
The budget route exists but takes commitment. Board the DART Orange Line at DFW Airport Station, located at Terminal A's lower level, and ride toward Dallas; the line reaches downtown in roughly 50 minutes. There is no direct rail stop at Love Field, so you would exit at the Inwood/Love Field station and transfer to the free Love Link shuttle, Route 5, for the short ride to the Love Field terminal. Count on well over an hour total, plus a transfer with your bags. It is the right choice for light-luggage travelers with flexible schedules and the wrong one for tight connections.
Option 3: Rental Car, Rideshare, or Taxi
A rental car only makes sense if DFW or Love Field is your final stop rather than a connection, since you would otherwise rent, drive 18 miles, and return the car at the second airport. Rideshare and taxis cover the distance in the same 25 to 40 minutes as a private shuttle, with pricing that moves with demand; at surge times the metered fare can exceed the flat rate of a reserved car. Travelers landing at DFW Terminal D after an international flight should also account for the walk from the federal inspections area to ground transport at either airport.
Which Airport Should Your Itinerary Use?
If you are choosing rather than connecting, the decision usually comes down to the flight, not the transfer. Love Field is compact, domestic-only, and overwhelmingly Southwest; DFW carries the region's international and long-haul schedule across five terminals. When your itinerary includes both, the 18-mile transfer is the bridge, and booking it in advance turns a two-airport day into a non-event.
Quick Answers
How far is Dallas Love Field from DFW Airport?
About 17 to 20 road miles, with a median of 18 miles on completed airport-to-airport trips.
How long does it take to get from DFW to Love Field?
Roughly 25 to 40 minutes by road in normal traffic; add buffer at rush hour or for terminal time at the second airport.
Is there a shuttle between DFW and Love Field?
Yes. Door-to-door shuttles and private cars run the route on flat pre-booked rates, with completed trips pricing at a median of about $50 one way.
Can you take public transit from DFW to Love Field?
Yes, with a transfer: the DART Orange Line from Terminal A to the Inwood/Love Field station, then the free Love Link shuttle to the terminal. Total time usually exceeds an hour.
Why do flights arrive at DFW and depart from Love Field?
The two airports host different airlines and route networks: DFW is the international hub, while Love Field is domestic-only and Southwest-dominated. Connecting itineraries between them are common enough that the 18-mile transfer is a routine trip.
