Following a relaxing Western Caribbean cruise and a few days in Florida, it was time for me to continue making my westbound progress around the world.
The original plan was to pick up a rental car and follow a northerly route to Yellowstone Park, across Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore, returning via Colorado to Salt Lake City.
Unfortunately, this was rendered impractical by the late 2025 US Federal Government shutdown, but I still needed to make my way westward for my trans-Pacific departure from Seattle. Therefore, I decided to continue with my booked itinerary, using the time to check out some more local sights in Utah, as well as catching up with a good friend in Las Vegas and touring some of the Nevada State Parks.
Rather than take a direct Delta flight from Miami to Salt Lake City, I decided to take a connection from the much more convenient Fort Lauderdale Airport, with a change of flights at Dallas Fort Worth. I would definitely pay for that initial convenience later.
As Fort Lauderdale Airport lacks a Priority Pass lounge, I started my day with steak and eggs at Robert’s Restaurant in Dania Beach, an easy 10-minute drive from the rental car lot.
Anticipating chaos due to the shutdown, I arrived at the airport ludicrously early even by my standards, but was through TSA security clearance in no more than ten minutes, leaving me plenty of time to kick my heels and write a piece for this site in the airside concourse.
The flight to Dallas was a very routine three-hour hop on a Boeing 737 with average but adequate legroom. Still being well and truly satiated by the steak and eggs, I decided to forego the opportunity to review the buy on board catering and contented myself with a complimentary ginger ale and coffee.
Here is where the fun starts.
Dallas Fort Worth has two lounges which are supposedly accessible with Priority Pass. These are The Club DFW in Terminal D and Plaza Premium in Terminal E. However, I was denied access to both due to overcrowding. With a three-hour layover and unwilling to queue for anything up to 90 minutes, I decided to take the opportunity to head outside to the smoking areas and transfer landside to my connection from Terminal A.
The distance from Terminal D to Terminal A is around half a mile, which is less than one kilometre. This should, of course, be easily walkable. The only piece of the equation that is missing is any kind of footpath.
Therefore, travellers are reliant on the free shuttle buses. Annoyingly, the driver of one of which hastily departed as soon as he saw me approaching with my suitcase. Infuriating as this was, I reasoned that it shouldn’t be a big inconvenience as the buses theoretically depart every ten minutes. Thirty-five minutes later, the next bus arrived and I was on my way to Terminal A for my connection to Salt Lake City. Or not, as the case may be.
As soon as I cleared the TSA screening at Terminal A, my American Airlines app alerted me to a gate change and it was onto the airside Skylink Train. Back to Terminal D.
Feeling the protein of the steak and eggs wearing off, I was unfortunately now too late to try my luck again at the oversubscribed lounges, so I squeezed onto a bench at McDonald’s and enjoyed a lukewarm Big Mac, backed by a high-volume rendition of The Symphony of the Babies.
Contrary to Dante’s observations, I can confirm that there indeed exists a tenth Circle of Hell, commonly known as Dallas Fort Worth Airport.
I can honestly say it was actually a relief to shoehorn my 6′ 1″ frame into seat 21D and get back on my way.
The catering on the connection was even more basic, but I contented myself with the thought of a second steak of the day in Salt Lake City.
In conclusion, the actual flight experience was not bad, once I was on board the aircraft. I would rate it about on a par with Europe’s better low-cost carriers, such as EasyJet. At a cost of 10,000 AAdvantage miles and $5.60 (£4.20) tax, it was certainly more than decent value.
Just don’t plan any tight connections in the Tenth Circle of Hell.