American Airlines Center

Dallas's downtown arena for the Mavericks, Stars and arena tours

American Airlines Center is the indoor arena in Victory Park, on the north edge of downtown Dallas, and it is home to both the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA and the Dallas Stars of the NHL. It seats about 19,200 for basketball, 18,532 for hockey and up to 21,000 for concerts, and it has been the city's main stop for arena tours since it opened in July 2001.

Because two major-league teams share the building, the calendar is crowded from October through April, with playoff dates possible into May and June. Concerts, family shows, college basketball, UFC and WWE fill the gaps and most of the summer.

• Mavericks games: the NBA regular season runs late October to mid-April.
• Stars games: the NHL season runs early October to mid-April.
• Concerts and events: year-round, with the heaviest touring months in spring and fall.

The building has hosted the NBA Finals three times (2006, 2011 and 2024) and the 2007 NHL All-Star Game.

Seating layout: Plaza, club and Terrace levels

The American Airlines Center seating chart reads in three public tiers, separated by suite rings. The arena uses level names on tickets and signs, so it helps to know how they map to section numbers.

• Plaza Level (100s): the lower bowl, wrapping the floor or ice, closest to the court or glass. Guest Services on this concourse sits at section 104.
• Club level (200s): a shorter ring of club seats tied to the Platinum and Flagship suite levels, with lounge access and a higher, centered angle.
• Terrace Level (300s): the upper bowl, steeper and farther away, with Guest Services at section 326. The lowest Terrace rows are reached straight from the concourse; higher rows need an extra climb.

The suite rings between the levels (Flagship, Platinum and Admiral suites, plus the Admiral Loft Boxes and Theater Box Lounge) push the Terrace Level up and back. That is why a front-row Terrace seat feels much farther from the action than a back-row Plaza seat.

For hockey, seating guides place the Stars bench in front of section 119 and the visitors in front of section 118, with the Stars shooting twice toward the section 112 end. For basketball the floor is shorter, so more of each sideline section looks at the court head-on.

Best seats for basketball, hockey and concerts

Mavericks games

The Plaza Level sidelines are the strongest basketball seats, ideally from about row 6 upward so you look over the courtside row and the benches. The Plaza corners are the best compromise: a full-court view on an angle for less than center court. Seats behind the baskets are the weakest lower-bowl option, because the stanchion and the glass sit in your line of sight for half the game.

Stars games

Center ice between the blue lines gives the best hockey view. In the Plaza Level, row 10 or higher is the safer choice; the first rows sit low against the glass, where reflections and the dasher boards cut off the far side. Seats marked "On the Glass" are a premium club product built for the close-up experience, not for following plays.

Concerts

Most tours use an end-stage setup, which closes off the sections behind the stage and puts floor seating on the arena floor. The side sections of the Plaza Level that face the stage at an angle usually beat the far end of the floor, where a flat floor and a standing crowd block the view. On the Terrace Level, pick a section toward the stage rather than straight across the building.

Seats to think twice about

• The first few Plaza rows directly behind the team benches, where standing players and staff block the near side.
• Upper Terrace corners at the far end from a concert stage.
• Any seat listed as limited view, which at end-stage shows usually means the stage edge or a speaker stack cuts into the sightline.

What each level looks like from your seat

From the Plaza Level you are close enough to hear the game and read players' faces, but the low angle flattens the court or ice, and you watch passes develop less clearly. The club level trades that intimacy for a cleaner overhead read of the game and shorter lines in its private lounges. The Terrace Level gives the full picture of a power play or a half-court set, and the center-hung video board fills in the detail.

A useful rule here: a low-row Terrace seat at center court or center ice often offers a better game view than a high-row Plaza seat behind the net or basket. Compare both before buying.

Getting there: DART, TRE and parking

Train

Victory Station sits next to the arena. DART light rail's Green and Orange lines stop there every day; riders on the Red or Blue lines transfer at West End Station. The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) commuter line from Fort Worth also stops at Victory Station, though it does not run on most Sundays. For events starting after 6 p.m., the arena says a westbound TRE train leaves Victory Station 20 minutes after the game. Check DART for the current schedule before you go.

Parking

The arena lists more than 5,000 parking spaces around Victory Park, with most of them to the south and east. The main options are the Comerica Garage, the Commons Garage, the Lexus Garage and D Garage, plus surface lots such as Lot K. Lot F is reserved for accessible parking. Most facilities open two hours before an event, and advance booking is available through JustPark.

• Two garages (Lexus and D) have an 8-foot-2-inch clearance, so tall SUVs and vans should look elsewhere.
• Garage exits back up after Mavericks and Stars games; leaving 15 minutes early or eating in Victory Park afterward avoids the worst of it.
• Parking rates change by event, so confirm the current price when you reserve.

Rideshare

As of fall 2026, rideshare pickup and drop-off is on the north side of the arena. Expect surge pricing right after the final buzzer.

Bag policy and entry rules (as of fall 2026)

As of the 2026–27 season, American Airlines Center allows small bags but bans backpacks. According to the arena's FAQ:

• Clutches and wristlets: up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches.
• Purses: up to 14 inches long, 6 inches wide and 14 inches high.
• Clear bags: allowed but not required.
• Backpacks: not allowed at any size.

All bags are searched. Doors open 90 minutes before Mavericks and Stars games and 60 to 90 minutes before most concerts. The arena has been cashless since November 2022, with cash-to-card kiosks inside. Tickets are digital only, screenshots are not accepted, and there is no re-entry. Policies change, so check the arena FAQ before you go.

Food, Victory Park and a short history

Concessions on both public concourses are card-only, and the club levels and Champions Club add their own food and bar service for ticket holders in those areas. Victory Plaza, the open space beside the arena, is the usual pregame meeting point, and the restaurants of Victory Park and nearby Uptown fill early on game nights.

Ground was broken in September 1999 and the building opened in July 2001, designed by the architect David M. Schwarz with a brick exterior and arched entries meant to look traditional rather than modern. The City of Dallas owns it, and a joint venture of the two teams runs it. Wikipedia notes that the Mavericks' lease runs through 2031 and that the team has explored a future arena elsewhere, so the long-term picture may change.

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Sources

• Wikipedia: American Airlines Center
• American Airlines Center: Arena FAQ
• American Airlines Center: Parking
• American Airlines Center: Public Transportation
• American Airlines Center: ADA Accessibility Information
• American Airlines Center: Seating Maps
• RateYourSeats: American Airlines Center seating (orientation)