Travelers flying through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport between now and October should expect detours, delays and the need to plan ahead due to a major construction project underway on airport roads.

This week marks the start of phase one of the International Parkway Project, which includes three phases in total, each lasting 90 days. The first phase focuses on building a new bridge into Terminal B.

New bridge aims to save time

The new bridge is being constructed before the old one is demolished. Airport officials say the method being used cuts down on build time by about 30% compared to traditional construction.

Still, for travelers, that means disruptions.

DFW Airport is urging domestic flyers to arrive at least two hours early and international passengers to arrive at least three hours early.

Detours affect key terminal routes

For the next 90 days, detours will impact three key routes:

• Drivers entering Terminal B from the north will continue using the current left-hand exit, but the path will shift slightly to a temporary route rather than the usual bridge.
• Those coming from the south will need to drive past all terminals, take a left-hand U-turn exit before the North Exit Plaza, and loop back to approach Terminal B from the opposite direction.
• All drivers exiting Terminal A will be routed north. If you need to go south, use the same U-turn exit to reverse direction.

"We want to make sure any disruption is kept to the bare minimum," said Mohammed Charkas with DFW Airport Infrastructure & Development.

Project tied to World Cup prep

The airport plans to complete most of the bridge work by 2026, just in time for DFW to host World Cup events.

"We want to make sure that our guests who are arriving here at DFW for those games have a pleasant journey," Charkas said.

Short-term closures also underway

Also starting Aug. 6, a portion of the South Service Road will be closed for 52 hours as crews begin demolishing part of the old bridge.

Officials say plenty of signage will be in place during demolition and throughout the 90-day construction period.