Dallas Fort Worth International Airport: Pioneering the Future of Airport Operations with Willow

Case Study

When Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) set out to transform its operations, they faced a major challenge: managing one of the world’s largest and busiest airports while preparing for exponential growth. Willow’s digital twin platform is enabling DFW to achieve operational efficiency, extend asset lifecycles, and make progress on sustainability initiatives. This progress has encouraged the airport to set an ambitious goal of reducing maintenance costs by 20-25% per square foot by 2030. Together, Willow and DFW are redefining what it means to operate a modern airport, setting a new standard for the industry.

171,000+ assets digitally twinned

Integrated into Willow’s platform for real-time monitoring and insights

301,000+ skill instances:

Continuously analyzing 124,000+ live data points

5 BMS and 3 CMMS systems unified:

Bridging disparate systems into a single source of truth

Challenge

Unifying a Complex, Aging Infrastructure

Managing one of the busiest airports in the world meant grappling with a sprawling infrastructure of over 171,000 assets, operating across 27 square miles. Five separate building management systems (BMS) and three computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) operated in silos. Maintenance teams relied on outdated, reactive processes—mostly addressing breakdowns only after they disrupted operations or inconvenienced passengers. This led to higher costs, fragmented data, operational disruptions, and frustrated travelers.

When something breaks, we rely on someone noticing and reporting it. That’s not sustainable, especially for an airport of our size and scale.”

Chris Poinsatte, CFO of DFW.

Jet bridges, HVAC units, moving walkways, and other critical systems came with their own challenges: varying installation dates, inconsistent maintenance schedules, and proprietary manufacturer systems. Without centralized oversight, predicting failures or standardizing repairs became a logistical nightmare.

Meanwhile, DFW’s operations depended on the institutional knowledge of long-tenured staff. As many near retirement—and without a system to codify their expertise—the risk of losing critical expertise loomed large, threatening to disrupt future workflows.

To realize its vision to “transform travel,” DFW needed a platform that could unify systems, deliver actionable insights, and empower teams to shift from reactive fixes to proactive, data-driven management.

Solution

Harnessing data to transform operations

DFW turned to Willow to revolutionize its operations. Leveraging AI-driven digital twin technology, Willow integrated live, spatial, and static data from over 171,000 assets into a unified knowledge graph. The platform then enabled real-time insights, predictive analytics, and automation capabilities to better manage the airport’s complex facilities.

Bill Grozdanich, VP of Controls and Analytics at DFW, highlights the benefits: “We’re starting to not rely so much on the customer or a stakeholder calling us that something is down. We’re starting to get data and information from sensors and assets saying, ‘Hey, this asset’s performing out of balance or out of tolerance, and it needs to be looked at before it actually fails.’”

We can actually know when or predict when something is going to break. We can schedule that maintenance at night when it doesn’t impact customers—and then, of course, that saves a lot of money.”

Chris Poinsatte, Chief Financial Officer, DFW.

Key components of the solution included

System Integration

Willow unified five building management systems (BMS) and three computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), previously siloed and inefficient.

Dynamic Asset Monitoring

301,000 active skill instances continuously analyze 124,000+ live data points, detecting inefficiencies and potential failures in real-time.

Customized Knowledge Graph

Willow connected key systems into an all-encompassing knowledge graph, creating a centralized, holistic view of operations. Integrations included:

Multiple BMS (e.g., Metasys and several versions of Niagara including N4) and CMMS systems (HxGN, WebTMA, and Maintenance Connection)
Potable water SCADA system (DeltaV) linked with 800+ battery-operated potable water flowmeters (Beacon/Badger).
Passenger boarding bridge (PBB) operational sensors (JBT iOPS) integrated with apron-monitoring lidar systems (SafeGate Apron Management).
Smart-tinting windows (ViewGlass) paired with lighting systems (WattStopper).
Conveyance systems (SwiftSense) unified with escalator, elevator, and moving-walk sensors (Datahoist).

By integrating these systems into the digital twin, Willow enabled DFW with the comprehensive view, automation, and data-driven decision-making they needed to modify their approach to airport operations.

Efficiency, savings, and sustainability in action

The impact of Willow’s digital twin platform on DFW’s operations has been transformative:

Cost Savings

DFW has published a goal to reduce maintenance costs 20%-25% by 2030 through operational efficiencies associated with the Digital twin. These savings create opportunities for reinvestment and innovation. Proactive Maintenance: Real-time monitoring and predictive analytics is shifting DFW’s approach from reactive to proactive. Teams are able to address issues before they escalate, ensuring seamless operations and happier passengers.

Extended asset lifespans

Strategic maintenance practices are prolonging the life of critical systems, such as jet bridges and HVAC units, reducing long-term capital expenditures.

Sustainability Progress

Energy optimization has enabled progress toward DFW’s net-zero emissions target.

Recognizing the potential of Willow, Poinsatte challenged his brightest, most conservative analyst to rigorously model the financial outcomes. “I want you to be really disciplined about this,” Poinsatte recalls telling him. “I want you to question everything.” The resulting analysis showed not only substantial cost avoidance but also environmental and operational benefits. This translated to substantial savings for both DFW and its airline partners. These insights encouraged DFW to establish an ambitious target of reducing maintenance costs by 20-25% per square foot and help DFW on its goal to achieve carbon net-zero by 2030.

Creating a blueprint for airports worldwide

Willow’s platform has changed how DFW’s facilities teams operate. Maintenance schedules are being optimized for off-peak hours, and facilities managers can now predict asset failures before they happen—minimizing airport disruptions and keeping critical infrastructure functional. Maintenance teams can also verify that the work performed directly resolves the issues detected in live system data, creating a powerful feedback loop where data validates performance improvements. This maximizes efficiency and ensures every site visit delivers measurable results. Furthermore, by codifying institutional knowledge into Willow Skills, Willow helps DFW preserve continuity as experienced staff retire.

DFW’s partnership with Willow is enabling the airport to “transform travel.” As DFW continues to innovate, its success serves as a blueprint for other airports worldwide, and their data-driven approach has positioned DFW as a leader in airport innovation and sustainability. Through the partnership, DFW and Willow have built the necessary integrations for legacy systems, making it easier for other airports to replicate their success using the same technological advancements.

For other airports considering digital twin technology, we’ve got to find a better way to operate our facilities. This is the way.”

Bill Grozdanich, Vice President of Controls and Analytics, DFW.

Cut costs, save energy, and drive sustainability with the #1 AI-driven platform for the built world.

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Airport Profile

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is a global leader in air travel, spanning 17,000 acres and serving over 87 million passengers annually. As the world’s third-busiest airport, DFW operates seven runways, five terminals (with a sixth under construction), and a robust ecosystem of airlines, cargo services, and administrative facilities. Guided by a five-year strategic plan, DFW’s mission is to “transform travel” through sustainability, cost-efficiency, and customer-centric innovation.