Cowboys kickoff is at noon, your group is meeting up in Mesquite, and somewhere between I-30 and Collins Street you're going to hit the exact same wall every other fan hits: which lot do I actually want, and how much is parking really going to cost once everyone in the group has their own car? That's the question this guide answers before you ever leave the driveway — where a bus drops your group, where it waits during the game, and what the drive off of I-30 actually looks like on a Sunday afternoon.

TLDR: A charter bus or party bus drops your group at Lot 1 (north, off Randol Mill Road) or Lot 6 (south, off Cowboys Way), then stages in Lot 15 — the stadium's own bus parking lot — until you're ready to leave, so your whole group walks in together instead of hunting for parking as a caravan of separate cars.

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AT&T Stadium sits at 1 AT&T Way in Arlington, between I-30 and TX-360 — roughly 30 miles west of Mesquite and surrounded by 15 numbered parking lots.

Why Rent a Bus to AT&T Stadium for a Cowboys Game

A Cowboys Sunday means 80,000 people converging on the same handful of exits at the same time, and every one of them is trying to solve parking on their own. Split your group into four or five separate cars and you've got four or five separate parking passes to buy, four or five different lots to reunite in, and at least one person who has to skip the pregame tailgate to stay sober enough to drive home.

An AT&T Stadium party bus or charter bus rental erases all of that in one move. Everyone loads up in Mesquite, the whole group arrives together, and the bus handles the parking pass, the lot assignment, and the post-game exit while your group focuses on the game. Comparing charter bus, party bus, and minibus options for AT&T Stadium through Mesquitepartybuscompany.com is the easiest way to lock in a group ride for kickoff without anyone drawing the short straw on driving.

Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off and Parking at AT&T Stadium

AT&T Stadium runs two dedicated passenger drop-off zones, and knowing which one applies to your group changes how close you actually get to the gates. Per the stadium's official parking page, one drop-off zone sits on the north side of Randol Mill Road in Lot 1, and the other is on the south side off Cowboys Way in Lot 6. A bus pulls into whichever zone lines up with your gate and unloads your group steps from the concourse — not at a remote overflow lot.

After drop-off, the bus doesn't just idle at the curb. Bus parking at AT&T Stadium is designated in a portion of Lot 15, and a valid bus parking pass is required to stage there for the game, per both the stadium's parking page and the venue's official Dallas Stadium parking information. Oversized vehicles that don't fit Lot 15 use the Silver Lot 14 designation instead — the same lot the stadium sets aside for RVs, priced at $150 per vehicle per the stadium's own parking page.

Third-party charter guides commonly report Lot 15 bus passes running somewhere in the $100–$150 range, though the stadium doesn't publish a fixed bus rate on its own site — so confirm current pricing when the pass is purchased rather than assuming a number going in.

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The Collins Street exit off I-30 is the main feeder into the stadium's north lots — and the first spot to bottleneck as thousands of cars funnel off the highway at once. A bus with a pre-purchased Lot 15 pass skips the lot-hunting entirely.

Here's what that pass buys you that a car parked in the general lots doesn't: certainty. General parking at AT&T Stadium is sold in advance through the stadium's own official parking page on a color-coded, lot-by-lot basis, and pricing shifts by lot, game, and demand — a marquee Cowboys date or big concert routinely pushes a single-car pass well past $30–$40, with high-demand games and special events climbing higher still. Multiply that by four or five cars in your group, and a single bus with one pass, one lot, and one arrival plan usually comes out both cheaper per person and dramatically simpler.

Your bus drops at Lot 1 or Lot 6, then stages in Lot 15 for the game. That's the entire logistics plan — no separate cars to reunite, no guessing which color lot your pass matches, and no one stuck walking in from an overflow lot a half mile out.

Getting to AT&T Stadium from Mesquite

The drive from Mesquite to AT&T Stadium runs almost entirely along I-30 West, roughly 30 miles and about 35–45 minutes outside of traffic. On a Cowboys game day, budget significantly more: heavy inbound traffic on Stadium Drive and Collins Street typically builds starting about three hours before kickoff, as thousands of cars funnel off I-30 at the same two or three exits. The main exits serving the stadium are Collins Street (Exit 28A) and Ballpark Way (Exit 27), and both back up hard in that pre-game window.

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Mesquite to AT&T Stadium runs almost entirely along I-30 West — the same stretch that carries most of the Metroplex into Arlington on game day, and the reason a 40-minute drive can stretch well past an hour before kickoff.

A charter bus doesn't remove I-30 traffic, but it does remove the parts of it that ruin a game day: no one in your group is white-knuckling a merge onto Collins Street while trying to also watch for a parking spot, and no one has to time a second trip back out to retrieve a car left in an overflow lot. The bus takes the same route everyone else takes, but your group rides it together, with the parking already sorted before you leave Mesquite.

AT&T Stadium Tailgating Rules for Bus Groups

Tailgating at AT&T Stadium is real, but it's confined to specific space, and knowing the rules before you load the bus keeps your group from getting turned away. Per the stadium's own guidance, tailgating spaces are available in Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 on a first-come, first-served basis (not in Lots 3, 8, or 9), and every space is limited to the grass area on the perimeter of the lot — a maximum of 9 feet wide by 12 feet deep, measured from the rear of the parking spot.

  • Grills are fine, open flame isn't. Charcoal and propane grills are allowed; deep fryers and open-flame fires are prohibited.
  • One space, no saving spots. Tailgate spaces can't be reserved or held for a group arriving later — if your bus group wants to tailgate together, everyone needs to load up and leave Mesquite at the same time.
  • Timing has a window. Tailgating is permitted from the moment the lots open (generally five hours before Cowboys kickoff) until two hours after the final whistle for Cowboys and college games.
  • No amplified sound systems, no fireworks, no weapons. Keep it to the grill and the folding chairs.

Because a bus is booked for a block of hours, the vehicle stays with your group through the entire tailgate window and into the game — the undercarriage storage holds grills, coolers, and folding tables so nobody's Sprinter van or personal car has to double as the equipment truck.

Leaving AT&T Stadium After the Game

Getting out is where a bus earns its keep the most. When 80,000 fans hit the exits within minutes of each other, the same Collins Street and Randol Mill Road corridors that were congested on the way in turn into a slow crawl back toward I-30 — and every car in the lot is trying to merge onto the same one or two feeder roads at once.

A bus staged in Lot 15 skips the scramble to relocate a car in a sea of identical rows. Your group has a clear pickup point already established from drop-off, the bus loads up once everyone's aboard, and it takes the cleared route back out toward I-30 while individual cars are still queued at the lot exit. Set a realistic post-game buffer when you request your quote — a bus reserved as a block of hours can hold that extra 20–30 minutes for the lot to thin out without costing your group anything beyond the time already on the clock.

What Size Bus Fits Your AT&T Stadium Trip

Group size and how much tailgate gear you're hauling both drive the right pick. Browse the full vehicle lineup to compare options side by side, but here's the quick breakdown for a stadium run:

ADA-accessible vehicles can be arranged through the network — just note it in your quote request ahead of your date so the right vehicle is lined up.

AT&T Stadium Bus Rental Prices

There's no single number for a bus to AT&T Stadium because the quote depends on vehicle size, total hours (including tailgate time and the post-game wait), the date, and how far the pickup point is from Arlington. To give you an idea: 14-passenger Sprinter limos typically run $160–$450/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $100–$250/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $180–$400/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $300–$520/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. The stadium's bus parking pass is a separate cost on top of that.

Split any of those numbers across a group of 20, 30, or 50 people, and the per-person cost usually lands well below what everyone would spend individually on a parking pass and gas. Check the Mesquite party bus prices page for a fuller breakdown, or just fill out the quick form or call 945-330-6530 and get pricing for your exact date in about a minute.

Events Worth Renting a Bus to AT&T Stadium For

AT&T Stadium isn't a one-event building, and each recurring event changes the parking crowd your group is competing with:

  • Dallas Cowboys season. The home slate runs from preseason in August through the regular season (September–January), and it's the single most common reason groups from Mesquite book a bus to Arlington.
  • Cotton Bowl Classic. Held annually in late December at AT&T Stadium, per the Cotton Bowl's official site — a high-demand date that fills the north and south lots fast.
  • UIL Football State Championships. Held every December, with multiple conference finals across several days, per the University Interscholastic League's official announcements — a natural fit for a school event bus rental when a Mesquite-area team makes the trip to Arlington.
  • Stadium concerts. AT&T Stadium hosts touring stadium acts throughout the year; check the official AT&T Stadium events calendar for confirmed dates before you plan a concert trip.

Whatever the event, the parking logic stays the same — lots fill early, tailgating spaces go on a first-come basis, and locking in a vehicle ahead of a big date matters more than it does for a routine Sunday.

Flying Into DFW for a Game at AT&T Stadium

If part of your group is flying in for the game, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is the closest major airport — about 14 miles and roughly 18–20 minutes from the stadium outside of traffic. One bus can gather your whole group at baggage claim and run straight to Arlington instead of splitting everyone across separate rideshares on arrival day; see the DFW Airport shuttle guide for pickup zone details, or the Mesquite airport transportation page to line up the pickup leg from Mesquite itself.

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DFW Airport sits about 14 miles north of AT&T Stadium — close enough for one bus to collect an arriving group and be at the stadium inside 20 minutes with no rideshare scramble at baggage claim.

Groups flying in and staying nearby often base out of Arlington or Grand Prairie, both a short ride from the stadium — see the Arlington party bus rental and Grand Prairie party bus rental pages for hotel-to-stadium options. Groups landing and heading straight through the Metroplex can also compare Irving party bus rental or a wider Dallas party bus rental for a longer stay.

AT&T Stadium Bag Policy and Gameday Basics

AT&T Stadium enforces a clear-bag policy at every gate, per the stadium's official bag policy page: each guest may carry one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, or a one-gallon clear resealable bag, plus a small clutch purse no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″. Backpacks, briefcases, cinch bags, and coolers are turned away at the gate, so pack tailgate gear for the lot and keep what goes inside to the approved sizes. The stadium address is 1 AT&T Way, Arlington, TX 76011, and the main line is (817) 892-4000 if anyone in your group needs guest services.

Types of Groups That Rent a Bus to AT&T Stadium

The same drop-off-and-stage plan works no matter who's on board:

Making a full day of it and hitting more than one venue nearby? The Mesquite group transportation services page covers multi-stop itineraries. Also planning a Rangers game at Globe Life Field or a Mavericks night at American Airlines Center on the same trip?

Those guides cover their own drop-offs — see the Globe Life Field bus rental guide and the American Airlines Center bus rental guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About AT&T Stadium Bus Rentals

Where does a charter bus drop off at AT&T Stadium?

Charter buses use one of two official drop-off zones: Lot 1 on the north side, off Randol Mill Road, or Lot 6 on the south side, off Cowboys Way, per the stadium's official parking page. Your bus unloads at whichever zone lines up with your gate, then moves to Lot 15 to stage for the game.

Where do buses park at AT&T Stadium?

Bus parking is designated in a portion of Lot 15, and a valid bus parking pass is required. Oversized vehicles that don't fit there use the Silver Lot 14 designation, the same lot the stadium sets aside for RVs.

How much does it cost to rent a bus to AT&T Stadium?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, the date, and mileage. To give you an idea: 15–20 passenger party buses run $100–$250/hour, 20–30 passenger party buses run $180–$400/hour, and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. The bus parking pass is a separate cost.

Fill out the quick form or call 945-330-6530 for pricing on your exact date.

How far is AT&T Stadium from Mesquite?

It's roughly 30 miles via I-30 West, about 35–45 minutes outside of traffic. On a Cowboys game day, build in significantly more time, since inbound traffic on Stadium Drive and Collins Street typically starts backing up about three hours before kickoff.

What's the closest airport to AT&T Stadium?

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is closest, about 14 miles and roughly 18–20 minutes away. One bus can gather an arriving group at baggage claim and run straight to the stadium or a nearby hotel.

Can we tailgate if we're renting a bus to AT&T Stadium?

Yes, in the designated grass areas of Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 through 15, up to 9 feet by 12 feet per space, from lot opening until two hours after Cowboys and college games. Charcoal and propane grills are allowed; deep fryers and open flame are not. Spaces can't be reserved, so the group needs to arrive together.

What's the bag policy at AT&T Stadium?

One clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a one-gallon clear resealable bag, or a small clutch no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″ per the stadium's official bag policy. Backpacks and coolers aren't allowed inside.

What roads back up the most on game day?

The I-30 exits feeding the stadium — Collins Street (Exit 28A) and Ballpark Way (Exit 27) — are the first to bottleneck as thousands of cars funnel off the highway at once, with the surface streets around Randol Mill Road and Collins Street backing up right along with them.

Are UIL state football championships held at AT&T Stadium?

Yes, every December, with multiple conference and division finals played across several days, per the UIL's official announcements. A bus works well for school groups making the trip from Mesquite for a title game.

How early should we book a bus for a big AT&T Stadium date?

The earlier the better for high-demand dates like the Cotton Bowl Classic, UIL championship week, or a marquee concert, when vehicle supply across the Metroplex tightens up fast. For a regular-season Cowboys Sunday, a couple of weeks of lead time is usually workable, but locking in your vehicle as soon as your date is set gets you the best selection.

Get Your AT&T Stadium Bus Rental Quote

Whether it's a Cowboys Sunday, the Cotton Bowl, a UIL championship game, or a stadium concert, Mesquitepartybuscompany.com makes it easy to compare party buses, charter buses, minibuses, and Sprinter vans for the trip from Mesquite to Arlington. Fill out the quick online form or call 945-330-6530 any time, any day, and get pricing for your AT&T Stadium trip in about a minute — no account required, no obligation.