Transferring Between Terminals at DFW Airport
DFW has five passenger terminals - A, B, C, D and E - arranged as semicircles along a single loop. Whether you are connecting between flights or meeting someone at a different terminal, you have two free options inside the airport: the Skylink train and the Terminal Link shuttle. Here is exactly how each one works, and how a private door-to-door shuttle removes the transfer altogether.
Skylink: The Fast Way, Inside Security
Skylink is DFW's free automated train, and it is the fastest way to move between terminals. It runs 24 hours a day, trains arrive roughly every two minutes, the average ride is about five minutes, and the longest hop between the farthest terminals takes at most nine minutes. Each terminal has two stations at opposite ends, and trains run in both directions, so board the train heading toward your gate's end of the loop. Skylink stations are past the security checkpoints, so it works only if you can stay airside - which is the normal case for connecting passengers.
Terminal Link Shuttle: Outside Security
If you have already exited security - for example, you landed, collected bags and need to reach another terminal's curb - the free Terminal Link shuttle bus connects all five terminals. Buses arrive every 8-10 minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight; overnight, call 972-574-5465 for pickup. Stops are on the departures (upper) level at every terminal except Terminal D, which boards from the arrivals (lower) level. The ride itself takes 10-20 minutes depending on the destination, so budget more time than Skylink.
How Long Does a DFW Terminal Transfer Take?
Inside security, a typical terminal-to-terminal move is 10-20 minutes door to gate: walk to a Skylink station, wait under two minutes, ride five, then walk to the gate. Outside security, add the Terminal Link wait and ride - figure 20-40 minutes. If you are connecting between airlines with rechecked bags, you must exit, recheck luggage, and clear security again, which is where the transfer time really adds up.