A Texas Airport With No Airlines Is About to Get One

McKinney National Airport, north of Dallas, has until now handled only general aviation. That changes on November 11, when it opens to commercial traffic and Avelo Airlines begins scheduled passenger flights. For the moment, Avelo is the only airline set to offer scheduled service there, though that could change.

The first wave of routes from McKinney runs to Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa from opening day. Avelo has now added two more Florida destinations: Sarasota/Bradenton from December 16 and West Palm Beach from December 17, each twice weekly.

More is coming in mid-December, when Denver, Atlanta, New Orleans and Nashville join the schedule, taking the McKinney network to 11 routes. Avelo is also temporarily adding two weekly Las Vegas flights for the holidays, bringing that route to six a week during the peak period.

For North Texas travelers, a smaller airport can mean shorter walks and quicker security, and a second option away from the region’s two major hubs. The trade-off is limited frequency: with most routes flying only a few days a week, it is worth checking return-day options before booking.

Sources: AirlineGeeks, CAPA – Centre for Aviation