As millions of travelers prepare to pass through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport this holiday season, American Airlines employees based at the world’s third-busiest airport are benefiting from a major facility improvement project finished ahead of schedule. F.H. Paschen has completed a $4.7 million modernization of 32 back-of-house employee restrooms in Terminals A and C, ensuring operations staff have upgraded, more functional spaces during the busy winter months.
The renovations began in August 2024 and concluded this November, marking a full year of highly coordinated work inside secure, active terminal zones. The improvements include upgraded flooring and wall finishes, reconfigured stall layouts, widened entry points for better access, and modern, water-efficient plumbing fixtures. In several facilities, increased capacity was achieved within the same square footage by improving design efficiency — a benefit for terminals that support 930 daily American Airlines flights.
With nearly 90 million passengers traveling through DFW last year — and American Airlines handling more than 80% of that traffic — maintaining high-quality support spaces is crucial to the airport’s operational success. These behind-the-scenes facilities serve the frontline employees responsible for managing passenger experience, aircraft turnaround, and safety.
The design vision was led by Moody Nolan, an award-winning architecture and design firm known for delivering inclusive and community-focused environments.
One of the most complex undertakings of the project was the replacement and rerouting of 50-plus-year-old plumbing systems, which required extensive demolition and careful planning to avoid disruptions in the airport’s secure areas. Sustainability was a key priority, with new fixtures that consume significantly less water, aligning with DFW’s broader environmental goals.
"This project required perseverance. Many of these employee restrooms had unique plumbing challenges that needed to be addressed," said Mario Melendez, Senior Project Manager at F.H. Paschen. "Our team did a fantastic job adjusting to each event, ensuring safe operations in the active terminals while delivering a great product for the airport staff."
The project team’s safety-first approach earned recognition twice when the renovation was honored as “FHP’s Safe Project of the Month,” reinforcing Paschen’s emphasis on operational awareness in one of the most security-sensitive workplaces in the country.
Continued Expansion at DFW
F.H. Paschen is currently working with American Airlines on an additional major upgrade: the Terminal C Support Space Buildout, which includes renovations across six tenant areas and installation of a new protective canopy. These ongoing improvements support improved employee operations and create a more connected terminal environment.
With over 20 years of delivering public-purpose construction across Texas — supported by offices in Irving, Houston, and Galveston — F.H. Paschen continues to play a critical role in improving aviation infrastructure across the state and across the nation.
Originally reported by F.H. PASCHEN.
