When I booked my flight from Knoxville to Frankfurt, I knew my connection in Dallas was tight. So if you’re wondering, “Is a 1 hour layover in Dallas enough?” my honest answer is: maybe, but I would not casually recommend it.
My layover at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) was scheduled for just 1 hour and 8 minutes. It wasn't my first choice, but it was the only routing available that day. Since I was heading to Germany on a long-haul international flight, I spent a fair amount of time wondering if I was about to miss my connection before the trip even started.
Now that I've actually done it, here's exactly how it went and whether I think a one-hour layover at DFW is enough.
My itinerary looked like this:
I landed in Terminal C and my Frankfurt flight departed from Terminal D, so I had to change terminals after landing.
If you’re planning a similar international travel day, I’d also read my International Flight Essentials I never Fly Without (Long-Haul Tested) before packing your personal item. A short layover is not when you want your charger, meds, or headphones buried in a checked bag somewhere living their own separate journey.
This was the timeline from my trip:
By the time I reached my gate, I definitely wasn't wandering around casually browsing airport shops.
I made it, but it felt close.
The good news is that Dallas Fort Worth makes terminal changes relatively easy thanks to the Skylink train.
After landing in Terminal C, I followed signs for Skylink and took the train to Terminal D for my international departure.
One thing that surprised me was how long the train ride felt.
If you're departing from Terminal C and heading to D, the train continues through other sections of the airport before reaching your destination. Depending on where your arrival gate and departure gate are located, you may end up covering a lot more ground than you expect.
In my case, I got lucky because my departure gate ended up being close to where I exited the train. If it had been farther down the terminal, those extra minutes would have mattered.
This is also why I like having an organized Airport Backpack for travel days. When your connection is tight, you do not need to be digging through a bag. You have everything organized and ready to go.
Yes.
I wasn't sprinting through the airport, but I wasn't relaxed either.
Several things went right that day:
If any one of those things had gone differently, the experience could have been much more stressful.
That's why I consider this connection successful largely because everything lined up perfectly.
If you’re new to flying or still figuring out how connections work, my First Time Flying? Essential Tips for Your First Flight (Step-by-Step Guide) is a better starting point before booking a tight airport layover like this.
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Technically, yes.
Fortunately, my Frankfurt flight ended up being delayed about 10 minutes.
Even with that delay, I wasn't planning on wandering around looking for food. I got lucky because a McDonald's was directly across from my gate.
That gave me enough time to grab something to eat before boarding.
If the flight hadn't been delayed or if food had required a longer walk, I probably would have skipped eating altogether.
Personally, no.
Now that I've experienced it, I wouldn't intentionally book a DFW layover this short if I had other options.
Could it work? Absolutely.
Did it work for me? Yes.
Would I count on everything lining up perfectly every time? Not really.
If you’re comparing routes, I’d use Skyscanner to look at other flight options before committing to a short connection. Sometimes a slightly longer layover is annoying when booking, but much better when you’re actually standing in an airport trying to make an international flight.
After doing this connection myself, here's what I'd recommend:
2 hours
This gives you a much better buffer for:
3 hours
If you're traveling for leisure, want to grab a meal, use the restroom without watching the clock, or simply start your trip with less stress, I'd aim for three hours.
For more help deciding how short is too short, I’d also read How Tight Is Too Tight for a Layover? because this is exactly the type of connection where the answer depends on the airport, terminals, timing, and how much you enjoy unnecessary cardio.
A one-hour layover at DFW can work if everything goes right.
In my case, I got lucky.
My flight arrived early, deplaning was relatively quick, the Skylink train showed up fast, and my next gate wasn't far away. If any of those pieces had gone the other direction, I could have been cutting it extremely close.
If you're a confident traveler and this is the only routing available, it's certainly possible.
But if you're booking flights and have a choice, I'd personally choose at least a two-hour layover at Dallas Fort Worth every time.
My connection worked. I just wouldn't want to rely on that much good luck again.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
For comparing flight routes and layover times, I usually start with Skyscanner.
If you’re building a bigger international trip around your flights, you may also like How I Fly for Free with Credit Card Points on a Big International Trip.
If your connection or international routing requires an overnight stay, you can compare airport hotels through Booking dot com or Hotel dot com.
For Germany connections specifically, read Frankfurt Airport Guide: What to Expect for Layovers, Terminals, and Transportation.
For long-haul flights after a tight connection, I’d prioritize easy-access essentials like a Clutch Powerbank, Bluetooth Headphone Adapter for Plane, and Manta Sleep Mask.
For a broader travel-day packing setup, read The Ultimate Packing List for Perfect Vacations.
If you fly out of East Tennessee often, my Knoxville Airport Guide: Parking, TSA & What to Expect (After 100+ Flights) may help you plan the first part of your route.
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
There are two kinds of travelers: people who plan a trip and then figure out where to eat, and people who book a restaurant and then build the rest of the itinerary around it.I am the second kind. I will not apologize for this.
The reservation gets locked in first. The hotel search happens within the same 24 hours. The flights get compared around the restaurant’s hours of operation. The rest of the trip exists to fill the days before and after the table I actually came for.
If this sounds unhinged, I completely understand. It has also resulted in some of the best meals of my life, so I’m going to keep doing it.
Drop a 🍽️ if you plan your trips around food too.
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
If you’re chasing energy, beaches, nightlife, and nonstop luxury, Dubai takes the crown. If you’re craving culture, iconic architecture, and meaningful landmarks at a slower pace, Abu Dhabi shines.🤍
My advice? Base yourself in Dubai and do Abu Dhabi as a day trip! The perfect balance of excitement and culture in the UAE.
Want the full breakdown? Check out my Dubai and Abu Dhabi guide for tips, itineraries, and must-sees!
I do not like seafood. 🐟 So when I booked a tasting menu at a restaurant built around aquarium walls at Atlantis The Palm, I was nervous.
Ossiano sits underwater fish gliding past the whole meal, moody lighting, the kind of room that makes you lower your voice without meaning to. It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. You’re paying for the entire experience.
Here’s the honest part: they have a vegetarian tasting menu, and I assumed it would be an afterthought. It ended up in my top five meals of all time. Course after course, the same care and precision as the seafood-forward menu everyone comes for. They even swapped in a steak for the main and it still felt cohesive with everything around it.
By course four you’re full. They bring out three more breads anyway. I ate all of it. No regrets.
Small detail that stuck with me my dress was black, so they swapped my napkin from white to black without me asking. That’s the kind of thing that tells you everything about a place.
Full breakdown of the menu, the vegetarian option, and what to expect linked in bio.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
