2025 was a wild year for aviation, both in North Texas and beyond.
The year began with the fatal crash of an American Airlines regional flight following a collision with a military helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Then, economic uncertainty stemming from U.S. tariff policies trickled down to airlines, some of which chose to withdraw their full-year profit guidance.
Things seemed to be moving along in the later portion of the year, when the aviation industry became ensnarled in the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history. The shutdown meant critical entities like Transportation Security Officers, air traffic controllers and Federal Aviation Administration employees worked weeks without pay.
As a new year begins, many eyes will be watching aviation developments in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which is often a bellwether for the industry.
American Airlines, arguably the biggest in the world, is based in Fort Worth. The region is home to DFW International Airport, the country’s third-busiest, and Dallas Love Field, the headquarters of Southwest Airlines.
Aviation News
Here are some storylines to watch:
Southwest Airlines launches assigned seating
Come Jan. 27, the cattle-call-style boarding process that defined Dallas-based Southwest Airlines will end, giving way to assigned seating that resembles major carriers like American and United.
The seating will include extra legroom seats, which will provide an extra five inches for passengers to stretch their legs.
The beginning of assigned seating will also mark the start of a reimagined boarding process that will be rolled out at airports nationwide, among other things.
Instead of being assigned a boarding number, passengers will be assigned a boarding group based on their fare class, seat location, tier status and Rapid Rewards Credit Card benefits.
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McKinney marches towards commercial air service
McKinney National Airport is steadily inching closer to becoming the third commercial airport in the D-FW metro area later this year. It continues to make progress on the construction of a commercial passenger terminal.
The $79 million project to expand McKinney National Airport, which the city broke ground on in July, includes a 46,000-square-foot passenger terminal, car rental facilities, a new taxiway, a 980-space parking lot and more. The terminal will initially have four gates, with the ability to expand to six, according to the city.
And, the airport just hit perhaps its biggest milestone on the road to expansion: its first airline. Houston-based budget carrier Avelo Airlines signed a five-year agreement with McKinney, which established use of the airport’s runway and taxiways, aircraft parking and maintenance areas, and more.
Read more about Avelo Airlines and its McKinney plans.
American Airlines’ Resurgence Plan
It’s an understatement to say this year is a big year for Fort Worth-based American Airlines. The airline is set to celebrate its centennial anniversary, and is the official airline of the 2026 World Cup.
But a profitability gap remains between American and its formidable rivals, Delta and United. Could this year be “the year” for American? Time will tell, but the airline’s top executives recently told The Dallas Morning News about its game plan to roar back.
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It continues to make significant investments at its critical hubs like DFW Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport and more. Next Spring, American will launch 100 new daily flights from O’Hare, solidifying the airport as the airline’s third-biggest hub.
And it has made investments to its customer experience, including new onboard beverages, free Wi-Fi for AAdvantage members, and new premium seating offerings.
The Push To Premium
The premium arms race among the major U.S. airlines is well underway and could dominate storylines again this year. Carriers like American, Delta, United and even Southwest are constantly rolling out new products that cater to customer experience.
American last year introduced two new planes central to its plans to cater to premium-seeking travelers: the Boeing 787-9 Premium Dreamliner and Airbus A321XLR (extra long range).
Both aircraft, which include American’s Flagship Business Suites, will fly long-haul international routes this year, and include upgraded perks for those willing to open their wallet.
Southwest also is in the process of retrofitting its aircraft with new features like seats with multi-adjustable headsets made by Germany-based Recaro, seatback charging and extra legroom seating.
The News has also reported that Southwest could be eyeing new products like lounges and long-haul international flights to Europe to sway customers even more.