The Federal Aviation Administration ended a ground stop on July 16, 2026, at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport at 4:23 p.m. and at Dallas Love Field Airport at 5:15 p.m. The FAA imposed the ground stop earlier that afternoon due to thunderstorms affecting the North Texas region.
Departure delays averaged 90 minutes at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, where American Airlines is based, and 75 minutes at Dallas Love Field Airport, the primary base for Southwest Airlines, which operates 18 of Love Field’s 20 gates. Both airports experienced the delays prior to the lifting of the ground stop.
A ground
stop is an FAA measure that prevents flights destined for affected airports from departing, managing air traffic to maintain safety amid adverse conditions. Such measures significantly impact aviation hubs like Dallas Fort Worth and Love Field due to the high volume of daily commercial and private flights serving the region.
With the ground stops lifted, flights bound for North Texas were able to resume departures, easing the backlog caused by weather disruptions. Air traffic at both airports returned to normal operation following the clearance by the FAA.
