DFW Airport officials envision an artificial intelligence-enabled future for the regional hub, including the introduction of electric vertical take-off and landing — eVTOL — aircraft for advanced air mobility services such as air taxis for passengers and short- to medium-range cargo flights.
A newly restructured airport group is setting the course for all technological developments at the airport over the next decade, with artificial intelligence as the key enabler.
“AI is now becoming less of an innovation and more of an operational necessity as the foundation for business going forward,” chief technology officer Paul Puopolo told DFW Airport board members in a briefing March 5.
He said the group is working on finishing a 5G communications system that will make the AI changes possible.
Because they use electric motors, eVTOL aircraft are quieter, produce fewer emissions, and may have lower operating costs than traditional helicopters. Puopolo anticipates the first operational flights in 2028-29.
On the ground, autonomous cars operated by Waymo, the shared-ride service that recently entered Dallas, will begin operating at the airport “over the next two years,” Puopolo said.
Automation and AI already are in use at DFW, including biometric boarding using unique identifying physiological and behavioral features; passenger queue management; and predictive maintenance.
Projects in work for future implementation include real-time vehicle flow management along terminal roadways, airfield foreign object debris detection, AI-enabled wayfinding for passengers, improved cyber security for data processing systems and enhanced data analytics across operations.
Cyber security is a critically important component of the tech road map, especially for an airport with the size and complexity of DFW, Puopolo told the board.
“This airport is a 24/7 operation, and it runs on technology. It runs on 400 systems, has 2,500 access points, 4,700 cameras, two data centers and 20 petabytes of data storage,” he said. “All of that has to be secured.”
DFW Airport Board Meeting
Documenter name: Doug Wilhelm
Date: March 5, 2026
To read more about this meeting, click here. For the agenda, click here.
Business opportunity expansion
The airport board approved four 40-year property leases to a limited partnership called Runway Fulfillment Center TX, directly tied to Dalfen Industrial. Dalfen specializes in development of “last mile” facilities that are close to consumers and located to meet an area’s e-commerce and logistics demands.
The leases are intended to facilitate the development of warehouse, distribution, logistics and office facilities. Four new buildings totaling approximately 500,000 square feet of space will be constructed on a vacant parcel on airport property at Rental Car Drive and Valley View Lane.
The airport expects these properties will generate $2M of rental income per year, adding to their non-airline revenue portfolio.
Construction will commence once designs are complete and building permits are issued, and once all environmental and Federal Aviation Administration approvals are received. Dalfen will be responsible for seeking tenants — a significant opportunity for local distribution and logistics companies.
Announcements and tributes
Board Chair Vernon Evans paid tribute to former board member and former Fort Worth City Council member Gyna Bivens, who died Feb. 9. “Gyna exemplified integrity in leadership and an unwavering commitment to public service.”
The DFW Fire-EMS Department recently received Best Practice recognition from the Texas Fire Chiefs Association and received a Class 1 rating from Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Insurance Services Office.
“These accomplishments are especially significant given the complex responsibilities of protecting the third-largest airport in the world, reinforcing DFW status as a high performing, nationally recognized airport fire department,” Chris McLaughlin, the airport CEO, said.
Brian Butler was introduced as DFW’s new chief financial officer, replacing Chris Poinsatte, who is retiring after 23 years in the position. Butler previously served as the CFO at Salt Lake City International Airport.
Expenditures approved
The board approved expenditures totaling $233.2M. Of that, the airport will use $178.8M for rehabilitation of runway 18L-36R to extend its structural life and reduce maintenance disruptions. Built in 1974, it is one of the four major north-south parallel runways at DFW. It is the last of the four runways to be modernized under a 10-year comprehensive runway rehabilitation program.
The board allocated another $23.3 million for the enhancement of Terminal D security screening checkpoints, including four new lanes on the arrivals level, reconfiguration of security lanes at Gate D22 on the concourse level and upgrades to security equipment and technology.
Doug Wilhelm is a member of the Fort Worth Report Documenters crew.
If you believe anything in this account is inaccurate, please email us at news@fortworthreport.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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