McKinney, Texas, Unlocks New Travel Options as Avelo Airlines Adds Four New Routes

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For travelers in McKinney, Texas, getting to the airport is about to become a very different experience. Instead of automatically making the journey to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport or Dallas Love Field, residents in the rapidly growing northern part of the Dallas–Fort Worth region will soon have another option much closer to home. Avelo Airlines is expanding its planned operation at McKinney National Airport with four additional nonstop destinations, taking its network from the airport to nine cities.

Four New Cities Join McKinney’s Flight Map

The new routes will connect McKinney National Airport, identified for commercial operations by the IATA code DTX, with Denver, Atlanta, Nashville and New Orleans.

Flights to Denver and Atlanta are scheduled to begin on December 16, 2026. Both routes will operate four times a week. The following day, December 17, flights to Nashville and New Orleans will begin, with each route scheduled twice weekly.

For leisure travelers, the additions significantly broaden the type of trips available from McKinney. Denver provides access to Colorado’s outdoor destinations and mountain tourism, while Atlanta creates a connection to one of the Southeast’s major metropolitan and transportation centers. Nashville adds a popular music and entertainment destination, while New Orleans brings another major cultural and culinary city within nonstop reach.

A New Airport Choice for North Texas Travelers

The expansion is particularly relevant for people living in Collin County and surrounding North Texas communities.

McKinney National Airport has historically supported general aviation, but it is now preparing to enter scheduled commercial passenger service. The City of McKinney says the airport will continue its general aviation operations under the FAA identifier TKI, while commercial passengers will use DTX when booking flights and handling travel documents.

That distinction will become important for passengers searching for flights, checking itineraries or arranging transportation to the airport.

The new airport option could also change how some North Texas residents plan their journeys. Travelers who live closer to McKinney may be able to reduce the ground journey required to reach one of the region’s larger airports.

Nine Destinations Will Soon Be Available

The four new routes are being added to Avelo’s original five destinations announced earlier this year.

The airline’s initial McKinney network includes Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa. Those services are scheduled to begin from November 11, with individual routes launching on different dates.

Once the December services commence, travelers will therefore have nine nonstop destinations available from the new commercial airport.

The network has a noticeable leisure-travel focus. Florida destinations provide access to beaches and theme-park holidays, Las Vegas serves entertainment and resort travel, while Denver, Nashville and New Orleans add outdoor, cultural, music and food-oriented trips.

Third Boeing 737 Strengthens Avelo’s McKinney Base

The route expansion is accompanied by another significant development: Avelo plans to base a third Boeing 737-800 aircraft at McKinney.

The airline originally announced plans to station two 184-seat Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft at DTX. The additional aircraft increases the scale of its commitment as the airport prepares to welcome scheduled passengers.

Avelo said the expansion follows what its leadership described as strong customer response and bookings from North Texas. That is the airline’s characterization of demand rather than an independently verified measure.

The additional operation is also expected to support local employment. Reporting on the announcement indicates the expanded base is expected to create more than 150 jobs, including positions across aviation and airport operations.

A New Passenger Terminal Is Taking Shape

The route announcement comes as McKinney National Airport prepares to open its new commercial passenger terminal.

According to the City of McKinney, the 46,000-square-foot terminal is scheduled for completion in November 2026. It will initially have four boarding gates, with infrastructure allowing expansion to six gates. Travelers will also have access to food and beverage concessions, public parking, rental-car facilities and ground transportation services.

The airport’s construction program is continuing as commercial operations approach. The City currently lists the commercial terminal as an active project with completion anticipated for November 2026.

FAA Infrastructure Supports the Commercial Transition

The transformation of McKinney National Airport is also taking place within the federal aviation framework.

FAA records currently identify McKinney National Airport as TKI, with published instrument procedures for the airport. The airport is transitioning from its longstanding general aviation role toward scheduled commercial passenger operations while retaining general aviation activity.

This transition is important from a travel perspective because the new passenger operation gives North Texas another airport option without replacing the region’s existing major airports.

What the Expansion Means for Travelers

For passengers, the most immediate change will be choice.

A traveler in northern Dallas–Fort Worth may soon have the option of starting a trip at McKinney rather than automatically driving toward DFW or Love Field. Avelo’s point-to-point network also means passengers can access the nine announced destinations without relying on a connecting itinerary from McKinney.

The new routes could be particularly useful for short leisure trips. A weekend in Nashville, a food-focused trip to New Orleans, a Colorado vacation or a city break in Atlanta can now be planned around nonstop service from DTX.

Avelo has advertised introductory fares from $99 one way for its McKinney service, although travelers should check current fares, availability and applicable baggage or optional-service charges when booking.

McKinney’s Aviation Role Is Changing

The development marks a major shift for an airport that has spent decades primarily serving general aviation.

Avelo’s original decision to establish a base at McKinney was already positioned by the airline as part of its broader network strategy. In January 2026, Avelo identified Dallas/McKinney as a planned new base for late 2026 as it reorganized its network around selected operating bases.

The addition of four routes and another aircraft before the airport’s commercial launch now gives that plan considerably more scale.

A Bigger Gateway for North Texas Travel

For McKinney, Texas, the arrival of scheduled commercial flights is more than an airline announcement. It introduces a new gateway for residents who want to begin their journeys closer to home and creates direct links with destinations spanning the Mountain West, Southeast and Gulf South.

As DTX prepares to welcome passengers in November, the four December additions give travelers even more reasons to watch McKinney’s emergence on the North Texas aviation map. What was once primarily a general aviation airport is now preparing to become a practical departure point for vacations, weekend escapes, family visits and business journeys across the United States.

TravelAndTourWorld Status

I also checked Travel And Tour World specifically for this latest September 24, 2026 announcement. I found earlier TTW coverage of Avelo’s original McKinney five-route launch, but I did not find a TTW article covering this exact four-new-routes + third-aircraft announcement in the search results reviewed. The current article therefore provides a fresher angle rather than reproducing TTW’s earlier coverage