McKinney National Airport will welcome its first commercial airline carrier this fall, as Houston-based Avelo Airlines announced plans to launch nonstop service to five destinations beginning November 2026. The move marks a milestone for the fast-growing Collin County city, which has pursued commercial air service despite a failed 2023 bond election that would have funded a larger expansion.
Avelo will provide five nonstop routes from McKinney National Airport (DTX) to Las Vegas, Nevada, and four Florida cities: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, and Tampa, using Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. The airline is also announcing introductory one-way fares starting at $99 for customers booking on its website in July, along with a free first checked bag for July bookings.
“We are very excited to be the anchor tenant and launch airline at McKinney National Airport, introducing nonstop service to popular destinations,” said Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy in a press release. “We believe our everyday low fares, convenient and reliable service, combined with an easy-to-use, small airport, will resonate with North Texas travelers. We are also proud to base two aircraft at DTX, reflecting our long-term commitment to the region. This investment will drive meaningful job creation and economic development, bringing well over 100 new jobs to the area.”
The flights from McKinney will begin on November 11, 2026. Avelo will fly to Fort Myers twice per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and to Las Vegas four times per week on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Service to Orlando begins November 12 with five weekly flights, followed by Fort Lauderdale and Tampa service beginning November 19.
According to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, McKinney’s expansion into commercial air travel moved forward despite the 2023 bond election defeat by pursuing a smaller project with different funding sources, including local and state grants and sales-tax-backed debt. Airport Director Kenneth Carley said in February that the city reduced the scope to focus on what was required to operate at the start, with plans to expand later.
“The goal was to build only what’s needed for day one and grow from there,” Carley said. Avelo’s Courtney Goff said the carrier was drawn to operating at a secondary airport in a large metro area and is excited to be the first airline anchored in McKinney.
McKinney Mayor Bill Cox said projections show a significant economic impact tied to the airport’s future, with an expansion of $600 million to $700 million expected in the years after operations begin. “With growth patterns and traffic and population increases in the Metroplex, really in the northern part of the Metroplex, it only made sense that McKinney National become a reliever airport for DFW and also Love Field,” Cox said during a tour of the airport’s new passenger terminal in February. “This is bigger than McKinney, and we are as pleased as can be.”
The city also said it is on track to secure a second carrier, which could further expand the airport’s route network and provide additional options for travelers in the rapidly growing northern Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs.
For Avelo, the McKinney expansion represents a significant commitment by a relatively young airline. Founded in 2021, the low-cost carrier has built a business model around serving secondary airports in major metro areas, avoiding the congestion and higher operating costs associated with primary hubs. The airline already flies to three other airports in Texas, including Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Houston Hobby Airport, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The McKinney service will bring the company’s Texas presence to four airports, making Texas one of Avelo’s most important markets. The airline’s Houston headquarters gives it a Texas base, and the McKinney expansion extends its reach into the Dallas-Fort Worth market via a less congested alternative to DFW and Love Field.
The addition of commercial service at McKinney National comes at a time of rapid population growth in Collin County and the broader northern Dallas-Fort Worth corridor. Cities including McKinney, Frisco, Allen, and Prosper have been among the fastest-growing in the nation over the past decade, driven by corporate relocations, job creation, and residential development. The lack of a nearby commercial airport has been a persistent challenge for residents who currently must drive to DFW or Love Field, both of which can be more than an hour from the northern suburbs during peak traffic.
The airport uses two three-letter identifiers. Commercial service operations use the IATA code DTX, derived from Dallas, Texas. General aviation operations continue to use the FAA code TKI, derived from Texas, McKinney. The city of McKinney operates the airport and oversees it through the McKinney City Council.
For the North Texas travel market, the addition of commercial service at McKinney introduces new competition on routes to Las Vegas and Florida, which are among the most popular leisure destinations for Dallas-Fort Worth travelers. Avelo’s low-cost model and introductory fares could put downward pressure on prices for these routes, benefiting consumers across the region. The airline’s presence also provides an alternative for travelers who find DFW and Love Field inconvenient, particularly those living in the northern suburbs.
