If you’ve ever flown in or out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), there’s a good chance you’ve driven the Texas Highway 97 Spur—whether you realized it or not. This short but significant connector serves as the airport’s southern entrance, linking the major highways that feed into the metroplex directly to one of the busiest airports in the world. In this segment, we take a 3-mile drive northbound along SH-97 Spur, beginning in Euless and heading toward the South Toll Plaza at DFW Airport.
Our journey starts on the ramp from SH-183 (Airport Freeway), one of the primary east-west corridors through the mid-cities area. As we merge onto SH-97 Spur, we’re immediately enveloped by the infrastructure that keeps DFW’s vast network of terminals, runways, and access roads humming. This spur is designed for one thing: fast, efficient access to the airport. There’s no residential development here, no roadside attractions—just clean lanes, large directional signs, and the rhythmic hum of travel.
The route quickly curves northeast, shadowed by airport infrastructure and flanked by grassy buffers that separate it from the larger runways and cargo facilities. Though brief, the drive offers an up-close view of DFW’s southern perimeter, including glimpses of the elevated Skylink train system in the distance, fuel farms, and service roads that aren’t normally visible from major interstate routes. The clean and modern design of the highway mirrors the scale and importance of the airport itself, serving not just as a road but as a welcoming corridor for visitors arriving by air or car.
After crossing a few modest bridges and passing a junction with Rental Car Drive, we approach the final exit before entering the toll-controlled airport core. This is Airfield Drive, the last chance for non-airport traffic to exit before hitting the plaza. Past this point, SH-97 Spur transitions from a public highway to the airport’s own internal tollway system, where you’ll need to either pay a toll or have a valid terminal destination.
It’s worth noting that Texas SH-97 Spur doesn’t behave like most traditional spur routes. This is not a legacy connector or a rural deviation. Instead, it’s a purpose-built express corridor designed for airport traffic only. While it technically carries the SH-97 Spur designation, locals and even many mapping systems may simply refer to it as the DFW South Entrance. The signage is mostly branded with DFW Airport logos and directional guides for terminals rather than traditional highway markers.
While the route is short, it plays an essential role in the North Texas transportation ecosystem. SH-97 Spur is the southern bookend to DFW’s vast internal loop system, complemented by the North DFW Connector (also branded as 97 Spur in the opposite direction). Together, they funnel tens of thousands of vehicles into and out of the airport daily, keeping passenger, employee, and logistics traffic flowing with minimal friction.
If you’re interested in seeing this from the opposite direction, check out our related video covering the North DFW Airport Entrance / SH-97 Spur Southbound, which traces the outbound trip back toward SH-183: Watch Here.
🎵 Music: Track List
0 Comments