Avelo Airlines has confirmed it will begin commercial operations at McKinney National Airport (DTX) on Wednesday, November 11. The inaugural flight will depart for Fort Myers, Florida, marking the start of service to five initial destinations. In addition to Fort Myers, the carrier will offer routes to Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, as well as Las Vegas, Nevada.
McKinney is located approximately 7 miles west of Princeton. The airline stated that introductory fares for these routes will start at $99 each way. Passengers who complete their bookings by the end of July will receive one free checked bag. Avelo plans to operate 184-seat Boeing 737 aircraft from the facility and expects to create more than 100 jobs in North Texas to support these new operations.
Andrew Levy, the founder and chief executive officer of Avelo Airlines, described McKinney as a location the company had long identified as having strong community interest. He noted that the airline was designed to provide low fares and reliable service, positioning itself as the launch and anchor carrier for the airport. Ken Carley, the airport director, stated that the announcement addresses long-standing questions from residents and skeptics regarding the viability of expanding the small airport and securing a carrier to provide an alternative to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
The path to commercial service involved significant hurdles. The city of McKinney began exploring the possibility of commercial flights more than four years ago. Former Mayor George Fuller was a primary advocate for the project, citing potential economic benefits for the city and Collin County. However, the proposal faced opposition from neighbors concerned about increased noise and traffic. In 2023, residents rejected a $200 million bond proposal intended to help cover the estimated $300 million cost for the terminal and infrastructure.
Following the bond defeat, the city council identified alternative funding methods and approved zoning changes in 2024, which allowed construction to proceed. The new passenger terminal will feature four gates, with space to expand to six. A federal lawsuit filed by the North Texas Conservation Alliance challenging the Federal Aviation Administration's approval of an environmental impact study was previously dismissed.
