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Love Field's $2.5 Billion Overhaul Sparks Gate Debate
Planned terminal, curbside, and parking upgrades could pave way for more gates at Dallas airport.
Published on Feb. 5, 2026
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Dallas is planning a massive $2.3-$2.5 billion rebuild of Love Field airport, dubbed the Love Field Expansion Airport Program (LEAP), to address chronic crowding, traffic, and aging infrastructure. The overhaul includes a new terminal headhouse, widened concourse, new parking, and upgraded security and baggage facilities. However, the project faces a legal cap of 20 gates set by the regional Five-Party Agreement, leading to questions about whether the airport can expand its capacity beyond that limit.
Why it matters
Love Field is a vital regional airport that has long operated under the 20-gate cap, even as passenger traffic has grown. The LEAP project aims to squeeze more capacity out of the existing footprint, but any move to add more gates would require renegotiating the longstanding Five-Party Agreement between multiple cities and airlines.
The details
The LEAP program bundles 14 separate projects to rebuild Love Field's terminal, curbside, and parking infrastructure. City officials estimate the total cost could reach $2.5 billion, which would make it the largest capital improvement in the airport's history. The goal is to boost passenger throughput by around 50% without adding more gates, by reshaping ticketing, security, and other chokepoints. However, the 20-gate legal cap remains a major obstacle, requiring changes to the Five-Party Agreement that has governed the airport since the Wright Amendment was repealed.
- Design work on LEAP is slated to start in 2026.
- Phased construction could begin in 2027, with some elements stretching to the end of the decade.
- The early phases will first tackle curbside congestion, access roads, and parking before moving into the terminal.
The players
City of Dallas
The city government overseeing the LEAP redevelopment project at Love Field airport.
Love Field Expansion Airport Program (LEAP)
The $2.3-$2.5 billion program to rebuild Love Field's terminal, curbside, and parking infrastructure.
Five-Party Agreement
The regional agreement that caps Love Field at 20 gates, a limit that would need to be renegotiated for any expansion.
DFW Airport Board
The governing body of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, a key stakeholder in any changes to the Five-Party Agreement.
Airlines
Airline partners have already agreed to shoulder around $800 million of the LEAP project costs.
What’s next
City leaders are still working through whether LEAP's full wish list is financially viable, and will need to secure approvals from various stakeholders before moving forward with any changes to the 20-gate limit at Love Field.
The takeaway
The LEAP project highlights the complex web of agreements and stakeholders involved in expanding capacity at Love Field, a vital regional airport that has long operated under a strict gate limit. Resolving the gate debate will be crucial to determining whether the $2.5 billion overhaul can truly transform the passenger experience at Love Field.
