PSA: If you parked in terminal B don’t bother trying to leave, haven’t made it out of the garage yet and it’s been an hour

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BamaPhils@reddit

Park in Belt Line station and take the train to/from the airport. Bonus, it costs you $6 instead of 20/day or whatever terminal or remote parking goes for!

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the tip. Gave it a try and it worked great.

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slocol@reddit

Or TEXRail if coming from Ft. Worth.

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signizer180@reddit

Can you park there overnight? And is it safe to leave your car there for a long time?

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Left it there for multiple multi-day trips with no issues, there’s a DPD scissor lift watching the parking lot. If that’s still a concern, have a friend drop you off there or uber, added bonus it’s a ton cheaper than ubering direct to your terminal albeit makes it a longer overall journey

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signizer180@reddit

Oh interesting. Do they not tow?

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

Yeah the lots usually aren't anywhere near capacity since covid decimated the traditional commuter work model, so they really don't care who parks there. They have signage saying they're not responsible for whatever happens to vehicles (like theft/break ins/accidents) on their lots so the towing is really just an extra cost for them that they usually don't care to do.

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BamaPhils@reddit

They’ll tow if you leave your car there for a super long time but I’ve seen folks leave it for up to two weeks no problem. I’ve only ever done about 10 days personally

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bcr76@reddit

I’m a pilot that used to be based at DFW and I would leave my car there every week for several days. Zero issues.

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

Sounds like a decent option. How long is the train ride?

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captain_uranus@reddit

5 minute ride + 3 minute walk upstairs to Terminal A

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

I had no idea that thing existed. Going to give it a try next time, thanks.

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

If you're on the fort worth side or going to/coming in to terminal B there's also TexRail. Similar cost, nicer trains and the station is much better integrated than the Orange line is with terminal A.

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mideon2000@reddit

Im wondering why you are getting downvoted for asking about information.

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metalforhim777@reddit

Yeah at that point I’d uber home and pay for the extra time and come back late at night, maybe go over there around 1 am when nobody is around

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azwethinkweizm@reddit

What's going on?

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

Called the operator and he said it was holiday traffic. Just made it out the garage but it seems to be somewhat flowing now.

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Skinny_Phoenix@reddit

Why don't you believe it? This is a massive travel day. Anyways, welcome home.

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

Because we didn’t move for 30 minutes. Not exaggerating

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FormerlyUserLFC@reddit

OP, do you think the issue was the Valet area clogging up traffic trying to exit the garage? Or was the choke point outside of the garage?

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

I got stuck right past the valet station. So it took about an hour and a half to go 30 yards or so. The chokepoint was outside the garage area, somewhere past the bend.

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outlaw2448@reddit

I used to work at DFW as a supervisor for one of the shuttles, and one day Terminal E was backed up so bad I drove our work vehicle through. Took me over an hour to get through the terminal. Didn't have to stop and pick anyone up or anything just driving through. Sometimes DFW terminals just do that

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Skinny_Phoenix@reddit

Because you traveled on the busiest travel week of the year. I believe you because that makes sense.

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ArchReaper@reddit

If you don't believe that the airport was that busy on the busiest travel day of the year, what do you think is going on?

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Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit

Sunday is THE highest travel day of the entire year because everyone has to back at work or school on Monday. \#1 travel day of the entire year.

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Kahedhros@reddit

Ya, I just got home from DFW, was busier then expected. Its normally 20-25 mins but took 50-60 today but I ubered

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FuckJanice@reddit

I'm not parked in terminal B, but if I was. Thank you

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mywafflesareonfire@reddit

This is surreal. I've travelled tons for work in the past (on holidays too) and have never experienced anything like this. I wonder if there are some contributing factors that we're unaware of.

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

Yeah from what I've seen it became a legitimate state of gridlock where nothing could move without anything else moving. I think a crash+construction+the massive surge of traffic resulted in the entire road network freezing up for a bit.

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Different_Quality_28@reddit

Remote parking.

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wannabetmore@reddit

Not sure if that would help. I traveled day before Thanksgiving years ago and used a remote shuttle to E. But it was nuts and was stuck on that bus for an hour or so and missed my flight (thankfully they put me in the next flight in the morning).

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

You can take the train as well. Terminal A has a DART orange line connection and terminal B has a TexRail connection. Both networks have at least one Park 'n Ride station near-ish to the airport, and it'd cost $4-6 total. If you're uncomfortable leaving your car there it's also pretty easy to have someone drop you off at a station or take one of the busses/GoLink, neither of which add to the total cost.

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Different_Quality_28@reddit

I shouldn’t chime in lol. I seldom travel by plane.

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wannabetmore@reddit

I dont fly during this time anymore!

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FearlessFrolic@reddit

But then the shuttle gets stuck in traffic. Should've parked at belt line station and rode DART one stop into the airport

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gmatocha@reddit

Crap this just made the local news. It's the whole airport - people reporting 2 hours to get in or out.

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csonnich@reddit

Jesus. Is it just holiday traffic or what?

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gmatocha@reddit

It sounds like we finally had enough travelers to put DFW in gridlock. Gridlock isn't just "lots of traffic" - is an actual state some systems can enter with sufficient density and a triggering event. It's pretty fascinating science.

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Jolly-Dragonfly-3461@reddit

It happened twice while I was working in DC. Right after the 911 attack on the Pentagon and also when a man was threatening to jump off the Woodrow Wilson Bridge at evening rush hour. It jammed up everything for hours.

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A_Homestar_Reference@reddit

May egg be on the face of all those who said this was normal

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Candid_Hornet_2792@reddit

Lmaooooo u blocked em in

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mijo_sq@reddit

Or you can be like me and park in the regular parking close to the gate, since I didn’t research beforehand, then complain about getting charged $192 for the week.. Empty pocket side of things. I got out in 15 minutes…

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MissLinda7@reddit

$200 to park!!! 😱💸

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

I did park close to the gate. Sounds like you parked at terminal E or A.

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mijo_sq@reddit

Yep. I was in E. Wasn’t super bad, but then I was the only person who parked at the wrong spot..

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

I did park close to the gate, it was just gate A and B that were gridlocked.

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

Finally made it out of the garage.

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SikhVentures@reddit

Cool, but try to believe people next time bud. You traveled on the busiest day of the year

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ice-eight@reddit

Judging by the amount of posts and news articles about the traffic clusterfucks at DFW yesterday, this sounds like something out of the ordinary happened and not "Haha stupid idiot traveling on the busiest day of the year. Should have been smart and spent Thanksgiving at home alone eating frozen pizza".

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Keep_Plano_Corporate@reddit

>"Haha stupid idiot traveling on the busiest day of the year. Should have been smart and spent Thanksgiving at home alone eating frozen pizza". Reddit activities

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A_Homestar_Reference@reddit

Extra funny comment because this shit made the news lmao. I guess it isn't normal.

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IllPurpose3524@reddit

I've never once seen anything like what OP described and I travel around the holidays all the time.

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Littlecat10@reddit

Yeah idk where all the downvotes for OP are coming from! I have flown into DAL on Thanksgiving Sunday evening multiple times. Yes, usually it’s crazy busy. But it’s never been even close to 90 mins to get out of the garage busy!

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panamania@reddit

DAL is usually much less busy than DFW though. Although also less equipped to handle the traffic

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AffectionateKey7126@reddit (OP)

I finally made it home. Passed by a couple of cops and an empty tow truck that was off to the side so I think there was a wreck at a choke point. Not sure why all of you were so insistent on it taking an hour and a half getting out of a parking garage as being normal.

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Jackitos@reddit

Because it is normal.

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A_Homestar_Reference@reddit

Why was it on the news then lmao

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Jackitos@reddit

You mean, why do they put any content as filler? It's a common fact that this is one of the busiest travel days and is historically known for massive delays and congestion. It just happens that there was a wreck or a stalled car. What's the actual question?

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A_Homestar_Reference@reddit

Oh so it wasn't normal got it

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Skinny_Phoenix@reddit

They told you on twitter it was holiday traffic. It was confirmed here. Not sure why you aren't accepting all the consistent answers you've received.

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noobbtctrader@reddit

So why did you bother trying after telling everyone else not to?

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csonnich@reddit

Because the reason they knew not to is that they were already stuck in it.

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weightofzero@reddit

They stage all the shared rides at B also. Those were all Ubers holding you back.

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fvalt05@reddit

Dayum

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ChiefHR@reddit

OP is never wrong everybody. Don’t yall know rule #1 of Reddit?

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TheyFoundWayne@reddit

My ride was directed on Google Maps to take the South Entrance (i.e. go all the way around) even though they were coming from the North. Must have been quite a backup.

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CountRock@reddit

People coming back from the Thanksgiving holiday.

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saxmanB737@reddit

Why.

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