American Airlines Center Game Day Guide
Dallas Stars · Dallas, TX
Know Before You Go
Essential details checked against official venue information.
- Bag policy
Wristlets, wallets, and clutches up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches are allowed at all entrances; larger purses up to 14 x 14 x 6 inches must use a main X-ray entrance.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Backpacks and large totes are prohibited. Medical and diaper bags accompanying a small child must be under 14 x 14 x 6 inches and are inspected.
- Bag storage
American Airlines Center does not provide storage or a check area for oversized bags or luggage.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Gate opening
Doors typically open 90 minutes before puck drop for Stars games.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Check the individual event page because opening times can change.
- Mobile tickets
All tickets are digital and must display the live Ticketmaster barcode in Account Manager, Apple Wallet, or Google Wallet; screenshots are not accepted.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Guests without a smartphone should bring their confirmation email and photo ID to the box office for assistance; no tickets are held at Will Call.
- Re-entry
Re-entry is not allowed; a Guest Services Supervisor at the door may approve an exception for a medical need.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Prohibited items
The arena prohibits weapons and knives, outside alcohol or illegal drugs, outside food and drink, aerosols, drones, professional cameras and recording gear, hard containers and flasks, fireworks, lasers, coolers, noisemakers, backpacks, large totes, and other dangerous items.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- A prohibited item must be returned to the vehicle or discarded; event-specific restrictions can change, so review the current official list.
- First aid
First Aid stations staffed by certified medical professionals are near Sections 111 and 313.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Contact the nearest arena employee for emergency assistance; AEDs are installed throughout the building.
- Nursing and lactation
A private nursing room is across from the Modelo Golden Lion Bar & Grill on the Plaza Level.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- The locking room includes an ottoman, outlet, side table, and privacy curtain.
- Family restrooms
Gender-neutral family restrooms are beside the public restrooms in the corners of every concourse on all levels.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Baby-changing facilities are available in all public restrooms.
- Tickets for children
Children younger than 2 do not need a ticket for Stars games if they sit on an adult's lap and do not occupy a seat.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Children who have reached their second birthday need their own ticket and ticketed seat.
- Guest services
Guest Relations is across from Section 104 on the Plaza Concourse and Section 326 on the Terrace Level.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- It opens one hour before each event and remains open until one hour afterward; during those hours call 214-665-4535 or use TellAAC.com for immediate assistance.
- Service animals
Task-trained service dogs and service animals in training are permitted; emotional-support and comfort animals are not.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Service animals must remain leashed or harnessed. The relief area is in Lot F.
- Smoking and vaping
The building is smoke-free and vape-free; smoking is limited to the Patron Tequileria Patio and ULTRA Club Patio.
Applies to: Dallas Stars games
- Guests using those designated patios must be screened again before returning inside.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at American Airlines Center, hour by hour.
Victory Park pregame
Hit the restaurants and bars in Victory Park. The district was built around the arena and has solid pregame options within walking distance.
Explore Deep Ellum (optional)
If you want a more eclectic scene, Deep Ellum is a short rideshare east. Live music, craft cocktails, and BBQ before the game.
Doors open
Enter the AAC and watch warm-ups. The building is modern and well-designed with great concourse flow.
Find your seat
Settle in for the pregame show. Stars fans bring the noise, the building gets loud for big games.
Game time
Three 20-minute periods. The Stars play a structured, physical game. The crowd roars on big hits and goals.
Hit the concourse
Grab a Texas brisket sandwich or a Deep Ellum IPA. The concourse is wide with food options at every level.
Victory Park nightlife
The bars in Victory Park and nearby Uptown stay open late. Or DART back to your hotel from Victory Station.
Tips & Fan Reports
Dallas hockey fans are passionate despite the Sun Belt location. The arena gets loud during Stars playoff runs.
Victory Park around AAC has become a full entertainment district. Arrive 2 hours early to explore.
Texas BBQ is available inside the arena, the brisket sandwich is the move.
Victory Park is walkable and well-lit. The district was designed for arena events.
DART Victory station is right at the arena entrance - $2.50 and avoids all traffic.
Dallas takes hockey seriously. Don't assume it's a football-only town. Stars fans are passionate and knowledgeable.
Weather
American Airlines Center is indoor, so these are the conditions for the parking lot and the walk in, not the seats.
Across the NHL season the warmest month is October, with an average high of 80°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 38°F. October is the wettest month at 4.8 inches and January the driest at 2.6 inches.
That January low ranks 26th coldest of the 32 NHL venues, and October here ranks 5th wettest.
October
4.8 inchesNovember
2.9 inchesJanuary
2.6 inchesMarch
3.5 inchesApril
3.1 inchesDallas Stars Clear Bag Policy
Most venues require a clear bag. Get an approved one before you travel.
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How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Game day timeline
Gate opening time checked against the venue's own gate-opening policy: Doors typically open 90 minutes before puck drop for Stars games.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
Current American Airlines Center FAQ, accessibility, food-and-beverage, ticketing, and app pages reviewed for Dallas Stars game-day policies.