When we previously wrote about plans to turn McKinney National Airport into the Dallas area’s third commercial airport, one major question remained: who was actually going to fly there?
Now we know.
Avelo Airlines will become the first scheduled commercial carrier at McKinney, with flights set to begin in November and tickets already on sale.
That makes the whole project feel a lot more real than it did the last time we wrote about it. This is no longer just a new terminal and plans for future airline service. There are actual routes, actual schedules and an airline willing to make McKinney a base.
There is, however, one fairly important piece still missing:
The airport itself isn’t ready yet.
Avelo Is Launching Five Routes From McKinney
Avelo plans to open a base at McKinney National Airport on November 11, 2026, with two Boeing 737 aircraft stationed there.
The airline’s initial route map will include:
- Las Vegas (LAS) – four times weekly beginning November 12
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – five times weekly beginning November 19
- Fort Myers (RSW) – twice weekly beginning November 11
- Orlando (MCO) – five times weekly beginning November 12
- Tampa (TPA) – four times weekly beginning November 19
Four of the first five routes are to Florida, which certainly caught my attention.
For us in Orlando, this means another nonstop option to the Dallas area. But instead of flying into Dallas/Fort Worth International or Dallas Love Field, Avelo passengers will be heading to McKinney, about 30 miles north of downtown Dallas.
McKinney Gets A New Passenger Airport Code
An airport-code change also makes the whole project feel even more official.
McKinney National Airport has long used TKI as its FAA identifier, and that won’t change.
But commercial airline passengers will see a different code: DTX.
The airport says DTX will be used on airline reservations, boarding passes, baggage tags and other passenger-facing systems. Avelo is already selling the destination as Dallas/McKinney (DTX).
The airport itself is still officially named McKinney National Airport.
So Dallas will effectively have three commercial airports:
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – DFW
- Dallas Love Field – DAL
- McKinney National Airport – DTX for commercial passenger service
And choosing DTX was clearly useful from a branding standpoint. Someone unfamiliar with McKinney can still look at the code and immediately associate it with Dallas.
There’s Just One Problem: The Airport Is Still Under Construction
Flights may be on sale, but McKinney still has a lot of work happening before passengers start showing up in November.
The airport’s July construction update shows a project that’s clearly moving along, but not one that’s simply waiting for opening day. Interior finishes were just getting underway, work was continuing on the aircraft apron and Taxiway Charlie, and the fuel farm still had major components scheduled for delivery in August. Roadway work and landscaping were also still in progress.
That doesn’t necessarily mean McKinney is behind schedule. Large construction projects can come together quickly in their final months, and the airport still says commercial service will begin on November 11.
But selling tickets is the easy part. Before Avelo can actually start flying passengers from DTX, McKinney still has to finish the terminal and airfield work and make sure all of the pieces required for scheduled commercial operations are ready at the same time.
Opening A Commercial Airport Takes More Than Finishing The Terminal
McKinney has operated for years as a general aviation airport, so airplanes landing there is nothing new.
Handling scheduled passenger service is a different matter.
The airport has been working through the process of becoming an FAA-certified commercial airport, including Part 139 certification requirements. TSA security requirements, passenger screening, credentialing, baggage handling, airline operations and all the other systems must be in place before regularly scheduled passenger flights can begin.
On top of that, the airport still needs the terminal, aircraft apron, taxiway, parking areas and other supporting infrastructure completed and operational.
So while November 11 is the target date, several fairly large boxes still need checking.
This Is The Kind Of Airport Avelo Likes
McKinney fits a strategy Avelo has used in several markets: serving smaller airports near major metropolitan areas where it can avoid direct competition with the largest airlines.
We’ve seen that approach close to home at Lakeland International Airport. Avelo restored scheduled passenger service there in 2024 after more than a decade without regular commercial flights, giving Central Florida travelers another option besides Orlando and Tampa.
McKinney offers a similar opportunity. Instead of competing with American at DFW or Southwest at Love Field, Avelo can establish itself at an airport serving the growing northern Dallas suburbs.
For nearby travelers, the biggest attraction may simply be convenience. If McKinney saves them a long drive to one of Dallas’ larger airports, that alone could make DTX appealing.
Avelo Also Comes With Some Recent Baggage
Avelo has also faced recent controversy unrelated to its scheduled passenger network.
In 2025, the airline began operating charter flights for the Department of Homeland Security for deportation flights. The decision drew protests, boycott calls and criticism from some customers and employees.
Avelo ended those flights in January 2026 and closed the Mesa, Arizona base associated with the operation. The airline said the flying hadn’t produced enough predictable revenue to justify the costs and operational complexity.
The charter operation is over, but the controversy remains part of Avelo’s recent history as the airline now puts more attention back on its scheduled passenger network, including its new base at McKinney.
Final Thought
McKinney National Airport has moved well beyond the planning stage. Avelo has committed to making it a base, tickets are on sale, and Orlando will be one of its first destinations.
But the airport still has meaningful work to finish before commercial service begins in November, both with construction and the operational requirements that come with scheduled passenger flights.
That doesn’t mean McKinney won’t open on time. It just means a lot still has to come together between now and Avelo’s first departure.
If it does, DTX will finally become what Dallas-area planners have been talking about for years: a true third commercial airport.
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