Summary
- Dallas Love Field Airport is closing a runway for necessary safety upgrades until October 29th.
- The 1960s-built runway will have drainage systems and LED lights installed to meet FAA guidelines.
- Southwest Airlines, with over 96% market share, will reduce flights during the renovations.
Dallas Love Field Airport is set to close one of its two runways for safety upgrades. The runway will be out of action for nearly three months. Considering the runway was built over half a century ago, it is imperative for such maintenance and upgrades to be regularly undertaken to ensure runway safety and efficiency. The airport has advised that travelers could expect some delays in the coming months.
Runway upgrades
Reports from Fox4News state that Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) is set to close one of its two runways for 85 days. During this time, the runways will undergo a series of safety upgrades, such as installing a drainage system and integrating 387 LED lights along with miles of new underground wiring.
The runway renovation is expected to be completed by October 29th, and until then, the airport will be altering its flight operations to function under a single runway. The airport has already advised passengers that some minor delays can be expected, and the process of taxiing the aircraft and queuing for take-off will be longer.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
The airport is reportedly working with airlines such as Southwest, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines to coordinate and minimize any potential disruptions or delays to the airlines’ operational services at DAL.
Simple Flying has contacted the airport and the airlines to learn more about any potential service disruptions forecasted and what steps passengers could take to ensure a smooth ground experience. Any response received will be updated in the article.
More about the runways
While the airport has two runways, the two are not identical. Data from FlightRadar24.com shows the following information about the runways:
Runway |
Distance |
Info |
---|---|---|
13R |
2,682 m / 8,800 ft |
Main operational runway |
31L |
||
13L |
2,363 m / 7,752 ft |
Smaller runway / closing down for maintenance |
31R |
Considering that Runways 13L/31R were initially constructed in the 1960s, it is imperative that the runway and its infrastructure are kept up to date with the latest safety standards and systems for smoother flight operations.
Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock
An extra mile of pavement will also be added to the runway as part of its renovation. Upon completion, the runway will meet the design guidelines set by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Dominated by Southwest
Considering that the US mega-carrier Southwest Airlines is the largest operator at Dallas Love Field, with a market share exceeding 96%, it is clear that the airport is dominated by the airline. However, this does mean the airline will have to dial back its services for the coming months to ensure smoother operations at the airport due to reduced operational capacity on the ground.

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In a statement made to Fox4News, Southwest Airlines is reported to have reduced around 15 flights daily during this period, which is an approximate reduction in capacity by 8%.
Considering that other carriers, such as Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines, only account for 2.75% and 1% market share (respectively), the operations of these two carriers would not be as affected as that of Southwest.

Related
Looking Back: Delta Air Lines and Southwest Battle For Dallas Love Field
Delta was eventually granted full access to a gate.
As of late last year, Southwest has control of 17 of the airport’s 20 aircraft gates and is set to remain dominant for the years to come.