The Short Answer: 22 Miles East, Plan for Traffic
Dallas Love Field sits on the north side of Dallas, about 22 miles (35 kilometers) east of Arlington's Entertainment District. By car the trip takes 30 minutes or more, and traffic makes the difference: on a quiet Sunday morning you may do it in half an hour, while a weekday rush hour on Interstate 30 can stretch the journey well past that. There is no train between Love Field and Arlington, so your options are a rental car, a rideshare app such as Uber or Lyft, or a taxi. All three are explained below, followed by a table to compare them and a section on when flying into Love Field actually makes sense.
Love Field (airport code DAL) is easy to navigate. It is a single-terminal airport, much smaller than DFW International Airport, and it is the main hub for Southwest Airlines, one of the largest domestic carriers in the United States. If you booked a Southwest flight from another American city, this is where you will land. Official airport information, including ground transportation details, is at dallas-lovefield.com.
Your destination, Arlington's Entertainment District, lies between Dallas and Fort Worth. R Nite Star Hotel & Lounge is at 1175 N Watson Rd, on the State Highway 360 frontage road, less than a mile (about 1.6 km) from Six Flags Over Texas.
Option 1: Rental Car
Rental car counters at Love Field are reachable by a short shuttle ride from the terminal — follow the signs for rental cars after collecting your luggage. Because the airport is compact, the whole pickup process is usually faster than at DFW.
The typical driving route runs south and then west: most navigation apps will send you along Interstate 30 westbound toward Arlington, then south on State Highway 360 to the N Watson Rd frontage road. Simply enter 1175 N Watson Rd, Arlington, TX 76011 into your GPS and follow it. A frontage road, common in Texas, is the smaller road running parallel to a highway that gives access to businesses; your navigation app handles the exit automatically.
Driving notes for visitors: Texans drive on the right, right turns on red are legal after a full stop unless signed otherwise, and some regional roads are electronic toll roads billed through the rental company — ask your rental agent how tolls work on your contract. At the hotel, parking is free, so keeping the car for your whole stay costs nothing extra in parking fees.
Option 2: Rideshare and Taxi
Rideshare apps are the simplest door-to-door choice if you are not renting a car. Request the ride in the Uber or Lyft app after you have your luggage, then follow the app's directions to the marked pickup zone outside baggage claim. Because Love Field is a single terminal, the pickup zone is easy to find. Pricing is app-based and varies with time of day, traffic, and demand — check the app for a live estimate rather than relying on any published figure. The 22-mile (35 km) distance means this ride costs noticeably more than the shorter DFW-to-Arlington trip, so compare options if you have a choice of airports.
Taxis wait at a marked stand outside the terminal and use metered pricing, where the final amount depends on distance and time spent in traffic. For groups of five or more, request an XL vehicle in a rideshare app or split into two taxis.
One planning tip: if your visit coincides with a Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium or a Texas Rangers game at Globe Life Field, roads into the Entertainment District slow down and rideshare demand rises. Allow extra time and consider arriving before the pre-game rush. Our guide to getting around Arlington without a car explains how to manage the rest of your stay after this one longer transfer.
Why No Train, and What Exists Instead
Visitors from Europe and Asia often assume a rail link will connect a city airport to nearby destinations, so it is worth stating plainly: there is no train from Love Field to Arlington. Dallas has a light-rail network called DART, and Fort Worth is served by Trinity Metro TEXRail, but neither system reaches central Arlington. Arlington is one of the largest American cities without a citywide rail or metro system.
Within Arlington itself, the city runs an on-demand public rideshare service called Via Arlington, described on the city's official website at arlingtontx.gov. It operates inside Arlington, which means it can help you move around town during your stay — but it does not connect to Love Field. For the airport transfer itself, plan on one of the road options above. R Nite Star also operates a local shuttle around the Entertainment District; contact the front desk in advance for current shuttle availability, destinations, operating times, and any applicable charges.
Comparison: Your Options from Love Field
No fares appear in this table because taxi and rideshare pricing is metered or app-based and changes with demand — always check live prices in the app or at the stand.
| Option | Typical travel time | Cost structure | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rental car | 30+ minutes, traffic dependent | Daily rental rate plus fuel; free parking at the hotel | Visitors planning day trips across Dallas–Fort Worth |
| Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) | 30+ minutes, traffic dependent | App-based pricing; varies with demand | Door-to-door comfort without driving |
| Taxi | 30+ minutes, traffic dependent | Metered pricing; varies with traffic | Travelers who prefer not to use apps |
Before you land, it is worth having your room confirmed: book online with live availability or call the front desk at +1 817-652-3100, where booking directly by phone can come with special direct-booking offers (confirm current terms when booking). Browse the seven room types first if you have not chosen — two-queen rooms sleep up to four, which suits families arriving with luggage.
Love Field or DFW: Which Airport Should You Choose?
If you are still planning your flights, the choice between the two Dallas-area airports matters for your Arlington trip. DFW International Airport is the region's main international gateway, roughly 15 to 20 minutes' drive north of the hotel — closer than Love Field. If you are flying long-haul from Europe, Asia, or Latin America, you will almost certainly arrive at DFW; see our separate guide on getting from DFW Airport to Arlington.
Dallas Love Field makes sense mainly for domestic connections. Because it is the Southwest Airlines hub, flights from many American cities land there, and the small single-terminal layout means you can be curbside with your bags very quickly. If you are already inside the United States and find a convenient Southwest fare, Love Field is a perfectly good arrival point — just budget the longer 22-mile (35 km), 30-plus-minute transfer.
A common pattern for international visitors touring several US cities: arrive from abroad at DFW, and later fly domestic legs through Love Field. Either way, the Entertainment District is reachable by road only, and once you are here, Six Flags, AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, and Texas Live! are all minutes from the hotel. Questions before you fly? The FAQ page covers arrival details, or contact the front desk directly.
