Dallas-Fort Worth Airport is one of the largest airports in the world, with more than 2,000 daily flights to more than 170 cities worldwide. For travelers who live in North Texas, however, the mammoth airport has long been a mixed blessing. It's home to a giant American Airlines hub, which means nonstop flights and high frequency service to countless cities. But American aggressively protects its turf and has a history of running off competitors.
That's part of the reason why fares at D/FW tend to be higher than the national average. So when low-fare carrier AirTran Airways launched a bid to operate a mini-hub at D/FW, travelers in Fort Worth and Dallas were watching closely. At the Star-Telegram, where I cover airlines and travel for the business desk, we explored U.S. Department of Transportation databases routinely used by transportation analysts and researchers to gauge the impact AirTran was having on fares, traffic demand and competition with American.