McKinney’s Airport Opens This Week. This is What Your First Flight Out of DTX Looks Like

News + Strategy
Written by Emilio Cinelli

4 min read

Key Takeaways

  • Commercial service at McKinney National Airport (DTX) starts Wed, Nov 11, 2026

  • The route map is growing fast, currently with 11 nonstop cities

  • So far there’s only service from one airline, with more planned to come. Airport restaurant and bar aren’t open just yet.

Back in August, I wrote about what McKinney’s new airport might mean for home values, most of it was still renderings and promises at that point. That changed on November 6, when the city cut the ribbon on the new terminal, and on Wednesday, November 11, the first Avelo flight will depart for Fort Myers. So this article isn’t about home values. It’s the practical stuff you actually want to know before embarking on McKinney’s new future: how to get there, where to park, how early to show up, and what to keep in mind.

What Changed Since August

Quick note first: DTX is the airport’s new code for commercial flights, the one you’ll see on Avelo’s site and your boarding pass. TKI stays as the code for private and corporate planes. When I wrote the first post, the terminal was still a construction site and the big open question was federal approval. That got answered on September 24, when the FAA handed McKinney its airport operating certificate, and the FAA’s regional director pointed out that Texas hadn’t seen one issued in more than 20 years. The same week, Avelo added Atlanta, Denver, Nashville, and New Orleans plus a third Boeing 737 based right here in McKinney, then added Sarasota/Bradenton and West Palm Beach in October. At the ribbon cutting, Airport Director Ken Carley said Avelo has already hired about 100 people for its McKinney operation, and Mayor Bill Cox summed it up: “This commercial terminal is bigger than McKinney.”

How to Get There From North DFW

The airport terminal address is 1910 FM 546 McKinney, TX 75069, on the east side of McKinney, and for almost everyone the last stretch is Harry McKillop Boulevard. If you’re coming from Frisco or west Plano, the airport’s directions take you east on SH 121/Sam Rayburn Tollway past US 75, then right onto Harry McKillop. From Plano, Allen, or Richardson, it’s north on US 75 to Exit 38C toward SH 5, then right on Harry McKillop. From Prosper or Celina, US 380 east is the easy way in: stay on it past US 75, then turn right onto Airport Drive. Or just plug the address into your GPS, which is what the airport recommends anyway for real-time traffic.

Parking, Security, and What’s Inside

There is one parking lot, 980 spaces, right across from the terminal, so there’s no shuttle and no garage to circle. It’s ticketless, and here’s how that works: cameras read your plate, you scan the QR code on the signs, register your plate and phone number, pick Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a card, and the gate charges you on the way out. Rates are free for the first 30 minutes, $5 up to an hour, $10 up to two hours, and $15 for anything from 2 to 24 hours. There are EV chargers in the lot, and you can’t reserve a spot, it’s first come, first served.

Security is TSA, same rules as anywhere, so bring a REAL ID or passport. The airport asks you to arrive 90 minutes before departure, and Avelo wants checked bags at the ticket counter at least 40 minutes before the flight. Inside there’s free Wi-Fi and charging ports built into the gate seats, but for now food is an interim snack kiosk and vending machines, with the full concession and bar listed as coming soon. So personally, I’d eat before you go. Coming home, Enterprise has a counter in the terminal, and Uber and Lyft both operate there.

One Thing to Note

I’d rather tell you this now than have you find out at the gate. DTX has service from one airline right now, so if Avelo doesn’t fly where you’re going, or not on the day you need, you’ll still have to drive to DFW or Love Field. Several of the new routes only run twice a week: Nashville, New Orleans, and West Palm Beach on Thursdays and Sundays, Sarasota/Bradenton on Wednesdays and Saturdays. And Avelo charges for bags, which is why the airport itself suggests paying for them when you book. Add up the fare, the bags, and the parking before you decide it’s the cheaper trip, because sometimes it will be and sometimes it won’t.

FAQ

  • Wednesday, November 11, 2026, when Avelo Airlines flies from DTX to Fort Myers, Florida. Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale also launch in November.

  • Avelo’s 11 nonstop destinations from McKinney are Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Atlanta, Denver, Nashville, New Orleans, Sarasota/Bradenton, and West Palm Beach. The last six begin December 16 and 17, 2026.

  • Parking is free for the first 30 minutes, $5 for up to 1 hour, $10 for up to 2 hours, and $15 for 2 to 24 hours, in a single ticketless lot across from the terminal. Reservations are not available.

  • The airport recommends arriving 90 minutes before departure. Avelo requires checked bags at the ticket counter at least 40 minutes before the flight.

  • At opening, there is an interim snack and drink kiosk plus vending machines in the gate area. A full-service concession and bar is listed as coming soon.

I’m curious how this first month goes. Are you going to try DTX for your next trip, or wait and see whether a second airline shows up? I’d like to know. And if you’re still wondering what the airport means for the McKinney housing market, that’s what the August post covers.

Sources

Emilio Cinelli https://www.homeswithcinelli.com
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