The new destinations join the five Avelo routes announced earlier this year, and increase the airline's investment at McKinney's new commercial passenger service terminal.
By the end of 2026, passengers will be able to fly to nine domestic destinations from McKinney National Airport.
Avelo Airlines announced the addition of four nonstop service routes that will launch at McKinney National Airport in mid-December, including Atlanta, Denver, Nashville and New Orleans. The newly announced destinations join the five nonstop routes to four Florida cities and Las Vegas that Avelo Airlines officials announced earlier this year.
The specifics
Air service will begin Nov. 11 upon completion of a new commercial passenger service terminal that's been under construction since 2025. Avelo Airlines signed on as the first commercial service provider in late 2025.
The airline will begin operations by offering flights to Las Vegas and four cities in Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa.
Service to the newly announced destinations is set to begin Dec. 16 and will be operated at varying frequencies depending on the destination. Here is a breakdown of frequencies for each destination:
DTX to ATL (Atlanta, Georgia)
DTX to DEN (Denver, Colorado)
DTX to BNA (Nashville, Tennessee)
DTX to MSY (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Alongside Avelo’s initial destinations announcement, officials committed to basing two 184-seat Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft based at McKinney National Airport. With the addition of four new destinations, Avelo officials are expected to base a third aircraft of the same model at the airport.
“The response from North Texas has been extraordinary, and the bookings back that up,” Avelo Airlines founder and CEO Andrew Levy said in a news release. “Adding four new destinations and a third based aircraft further cements our commitment to Collin County.”
Reservations are available for purchase through Avelo Airlines’ website with one-way fares starting at $99.
The impact
The 46,000-square-foot terminal is expected to serve 200,000 passengers in the first year of operations, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
With the additional routes and third aircraft based in McKinney, the total number of jobs created by Avelo amounts to about 150, per the release. Those jobs will include pilots, flight attendants, aircraft technicians and airport personnel.
“Since we announced plans to bring commercial air service to McKinney National Airport, and Avelo Airlines announced its flights, we’ve heard from many residents eager to work at DTX,” McKinney National Airport Director Ken Carley said in the release. “Our region has deep talent in the construction trades and aviation, and this growth will create more opportunities for well-paying, rewarding careers.”
Quote of note
Levy said he thinks there’s “enormous potential” for commercial service at McKinney National Airport. North Texans are used to going to one of two different airports in Dallas-Fort Worth, but offering flights at McKinney National Airport offers a “convenience element” for nearby residents.
“The experience is truly different and unique,” Levy said. “It’s faster, it’s easier and it’s just simply better in terms of when you’re on the ground to get on the plane to go to wherever it is you want to go.”
The project
The $79 million terminal and associated infrastructure are on track to open Nov. 11, Carley said, roughly 18 months after officials broke ground on the project. The terminal will launch with four gates but has the capacity to add a fifth and sixth gate in the future “as airline service and passenger demand grows,” Carley said at a Sept. 24 press conference.
“The terminal is designed to serve up to 1 million passengers annually, while providing a simple and accessible curb-to-cabin experience,” he said.
The facility also includes 980 public parking spaces that will be available for a $15 daily parking rate through a contactless payment system, Carley said. Rental car services will be provided at the airport by Enterprise and officials are working to finalize food, beverage and retail vendor spaces. The terminal will also feature two murals by Texas-based artists in the curbside area as well as in the baggage claim area.
Construction is underway on Taxiway C, which will connect the commercial terminal ramp to the recently extended runway, Carley said. The runway is now spans 8,002 feet long and 150 feet wide, city documents state.
“Standing here today, less than seven weeks from the opening, brings into focus just how quickly this vision is becoming a reality,” Carley said.
The airport is “days away” from being issued a temporary certificate of occupancy, Carley said.
“That’s significant because then it lets all these other groups in here to start building out their space,” Carley said.
Also of note
Ignacio Flores, director of the Federal Aviation Administration's Southwest Region Airports division, presented McKinney National Airport officials with an airport operating certificate at the Sept. 24 event. The certification is required for the airport to begin commercial service operations, Carley said.
The certification award is a “rare milestone” for an airport to achieve, Flores said, noting that the last time an airport operating certificate was awarded in Texas was more than 20 years ago.
The FAA has invested more than $9 million at McKinney’s airport for projects related to airfield safety and equipment upgrades, Flores said.
“Today marks a historic turning point for McKinney [National] Airport, the city of McKinney and the entire Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex,” Flores said. “This certificate serves as the official FAA seal of approval, confirming that the airfield safety protocols and safety standards are met.”
Carley said the milestone represented “years of planning coordination” between McKinney National Airport staff, city staff and Federal Aviation Administration officials.
“There's not a lot of airport directors that get an opportunity to do that in their career,” Carley said of receiving the certificate. “I don't know one of my colleagues that really has taken a [general aviation] airport into commercial services so it's a highlight of my career, honestly, and I'm honored to receive that on behalf of McKinney.”
About the company
The Houston-based airline operates a fleet of 17 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft and serves 39 destinations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
The airline’s first flight took off in April 2021, and the company has conducted more than 80,000 flights and transported over 10.5 million customers, the release states.
Avelo Airlines will also be the first U.S. airline to fly the Embraer E195-E2. The company placed an order in September 2025 for up to 100 of the aircraft, which is a new 140-seat mainline jet aircraft with a 2x2 configuration “where no one ever has a middle seat,” per the release.
For more information on Avelo Airlines, visit www.aveloair.com.
