North Texas is about to get a lot easier to fly out of. McKinney National Airport (DTX), 30 miles north of downtown Dallas, has earned its FAA Airport Operating Certificate — the first new commercial airport certification in Texas in more than two decades. From November 11, budget carrier Avelo Airlines will start flying from its freshly built $79 million terminal.
The certificate confirms the airport meets federal safety standards: pavement on the runway and taxiways checks out, and rescue, firefighting, emergency planning and wildlife hazard teams are trained and ready. The FAA put over $9 million into the project, funding new taxiway construction and upgrades to the federal control tower. The tower operates from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and the airport even has US Customs facilities, so international flights are technically possible down the line.
Avelo isn't easing in — it's going all in. After the inaugural Fort Myers flight on November 11, Las Vegas and Orlando follow on November 12, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa on November 19, then Atlanta and Denver on December 16, with Nashville and New Orleans starting December 17. That's nine routes in the first five weeks, and Avelo is establishing a full North Texas base at the airport to serve what it sees as underserved demand. So far, no other airline has announced McKinney service.
The airport itself isn't brand new — it dates back to 1979 and already hosts corporate fleets for Texas Instruments and Toyota. But the transformation into a passenger gateway is significant: a 45,000-square-foot terminal with three gates (expandable to five), 1,500 parking spaces, rental car facilities, and a 7,002-foot concrete runway. The site recorded more than 142,000 aircraft operations in 2023, reflecting Collin County's status as one of the fastest-growing regions in the US.
Why does this matter for travellers? Anyone living in Dallas's northern suburbs currently faces a long schlep to DFW International or Love Field. McKinney offers a smaller, low-hassle alternative with budget fares to popular leisure spots — think Vegas weekends, Florida beach trips, or a quick hop to Nashville. Expect shorter security lines and easier parking than at the big hubs, though with only three gates and one airline, route options remain limited for now. If you're flexible on dates and chasing cheap flights, it's worth comparing Avelo's McKinney fares before defaulting to DFW.
