Which Airport Will Be Closest to the New Universal Theme Park in Texas?

For theme park aficionados across the United States, Orlando’s MCO and Los Angeles’s LAX airports are just as big a part of their trips as Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Disneyland, and Universal Hollywood.

©FriscoTexas.gov

Which explains why, when Universal announced an unexpected new theme park in a very unexpected place earlier this year, the first question many asked was “Where’s the closest airport?”

In January 2023, Universal — which is already in the midst of constructing Universal Epic Universe in Orlando — shocked the theme park world by announcing their plans to build a new theme park in Texas. The company wrote at the time:

“Universal Parks & Resorts announces a one-of-a-kind theme park, unlike any other in the world, specifically designed to inspire fun for families with young children. The new park concept, set in a lush green landscape and featuring immersive themed lands, celebrates Universal’s iconic brand of entertainment, humor and innovation and brings to life its beloved characters and stories in ways that will wow even the youngest theme park goers. The proposed park will be designed to be more intimate and engaging for younger audiences and will be sized for a regional audience. It will be full of family-friendly attractions, interactive and playful shows, character meet and greets, unique merchandise and fun food and beverage venues. Although smaller in size, it will still carry the same quality as Universal’s other larger resort destinations.”

The company plans to build this new, experimental “mini-park” on 97 acres of land near Frisco, Texas. Page Thompson, President, New Ventures, Universal Parks & Resorts, said of the location: “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with the city of Frisco and Mayor Cheney as we work to bring this innovative, new concept to life designed specifically for a younger generation of Universal fans. We think North Texas is the perfect place to launch this unique park for families given its growing popularity within this part of the country.”

Frisco’s mayor, Jeff Cheney, added “Frisco is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. and has been recognized as a great place to plant professional roots and raise a family. This new Universal concept will continue to enhance our tax base, expand employment opportunities and bring even more fun to Frisco benefiting our residents, businesses, and visitors.”

So, if Universal does build this new park, how will guests arrive by air? Well, luckily the park’s planned location is close to one of the country’s biggest cities, Dallas, and several of its finest airports.

The Dallas area’s main airport, Dallas Fort Worth AKA DFW, is located about 22 miles/30 minutes from the planned location of Universal’s planned park. DFW is the second largest airport in the United States, coming in at 17,207 acres (approximately 27 square miles) and even has it’s own ZIP Code. The airport services over 260 destinations from 28 airlines, headlined by a massive American Airlines hub.

-DFW Airport

Beyond DFW, Frisco is also approximately 30 miles from Dallas Love Field. This city-owned public airport has been open since 1917, and has a long history including extensive use by the armies in both World Wars, being known as the landing spot for President John F. Kennedy on his ill-fated 1963 trip to Dallas, and as the birthplace, corporate headquarters, and hub of Southwest Airlines. There are several other small and/or private airports in the Dallas metroplex area as well.

So, if you were to visit Universal’s Frisco park in the future, which airport would you fly into? Let us know in the comments below.