MCKINNEY, Texas — McKinney National Airport will welcome its first-ever commercial airline carrier this fall, as Houston-based budget airline Avelo Airlines announced nonstop flights to five destinations beginning November 11.
The airline will operate Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft on routes to Las Vegas, Orlando, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa, with frequencies ranging from two to five flights per week. Introductory one-way fares start at $99, with the first checked bag free for bookings made in July.
> "We are very excited to be the anchor tenant and launch airline at McKinney National Airport, introducing nonstop service to popular destinations including Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale," said Avelo Airlines founder and CEO Andrew Levy. "We are also proud to base two aircraft at DTX, reflecting our long-term commitment to the region."
The expansion is projected to create more than 100 new jobs and generate an estimated $600 million to $700 million in economic impact within a few years of operation, according to city officials. The airport's IATA code will be DTX, appearing on boarding passes and checked bags for commercial travelers.
McKinney Mayor Bill Cox said the growth reflects broader momentum in the northern Metroplex. "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. "This is bigger than McKinney."
