Getting around · Dallas · DAL
Getting to and from DAL: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Dallas · DAL airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $30–$40 to Downtown Dallas, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check DAL TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
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Taxis from DAL — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$30–$40
to Downtown Dallas
Drive time
12–20 min
8 mi to Downtown Dallas
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $30–$40 to Downtown Dallas on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxis pick up at the valet pavilion and Garage C, Level 1. Follow the terminal signs to meet your driver. Taxis are metered. A trip to downtown Dallas (about 8 miles) usually runs around $35, not counting tip.
The DAL cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Main lot at the NE corner of Hawes and Herb Kelleher Way, with extra spaces north of the Spirit of Flight Plaza off Contrail Lane. There's a posted limit of about 60 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. Heading north on Herb Kelleher Way, turn right on Edwards, right on Aubrey, and the next right is the lot entrance. It is free, but stay with your vehicle.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare DALparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at DAL
Uber, Lyft, and Wingz pick up at the valet pavilion and Garage C, Level 1. Alto picks up at the lower-level curb. Follow the terminal signs. Uber and Lyft are allowed at DAL, but they do not pick up curbside. The pickup point moved from Garage B to the valet pavilion and Garage C, so walk to that area to meet your driver.
Dropping off? App rides, taxis, and limos drop off on the upper-level curb near the ticketing hall. Dallas · DALhas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to DAL — routes & drive time
DAL sits about 8 miles from Downtown Dallas, a drive of roughly 12–20 minutes via Mockingbird Lane and Cedar Springs Road lead from the airport to US-75 (Central Expressway) and I-35E toward downtown — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to DAL by train or transit
There is no train at the airport. The free DART Love Link bus (Route 5) takes you from the lower-level Ground Transportation curb to the Inwood/Love Field rail station, where you can board the Green or Orange Line to downtown Dallas.
Fare: The Love Link bus from the airport is free. You need a valid DART fare ($2.50 single ride) to continue on the train.
Hotel and city shuttles to DAL
Rideshare shuttles such as Empire, Aries, and Sky Hop run from the lower-level curb on Herb Kelleher Way. Some need a reservation. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to DAL?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $8/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Dallas runs about $70. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 9 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare DALparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at DAL
Accessible (ADA) pickups stay on the lower-level curb. Request one in the app or ask airport staff for help.
Late or overnight arrival? Love Link and DART trains have limited late-night service, so a taxi or rideshare is your best bet overnight.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return rental cars at the on-airport rental car facility near the terminal parking garages. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: The rideshare and taxi pickup area was relocated to the valet pavilion and Garage C, so older directions to Garage B are out of date. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified DAL's ground-transport details as of June 27, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth), about 11 miles from DAL in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from DAL — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go DAL
DAL TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ DAL
How much is a taxi to or from DAL?
A metered taxi to Downtown Dallas typically runs about $30–$40, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxis pick up at the valet pavilion and Garage C, Level 1. Follow the terminal signs to meet your driver.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at DAL?
Uber, Lyft, and Wingz pick up at the valet pavilion and Garage C, Level 1. Alto picks up at the lower-level curb. Follow the terminal signs. Uber and Lyft are allowed at DAL, but they do not pick up curbside. The pickup point moved from Garage B to the valet pavilion and Garage C, so walk to that area to meet your driver. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the DAL cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lot — Main lot at the NE corner of Hawes and Herb Kelleher Way, with extra spaces north of the Spirit of Flight Plaza off Contrail Lane. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is DAL from Downtown Dallas?
DAL is about 8 miles from Downtown Dallas — roughly 12–20 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Mockingbird Lane and Cedar Springs Road lead from the airport to US-75 (Central Expressway) and I-35E toward downtown.
Is there a train from DAL to Downtown Dallas?
Not directly. There is no train at the airport. The free DART Love Link bus (Route 5) takes you from the lower-level Ground Transportation curb to the Inwood/Love Field rail station, where you can board the Green or Orange Line to downtown Dallas.