McKinney National Airport (TKI) said Tuesday it has secured its first airline partner, marking an important step toward launching passenger service from the North Texas facility. The city approved a new lease agreement with Avelo Airlines, which will become the inaugural tenant of the airport’s forthcoming passenger terminal. This comes as part of the airport’s ongoing expansion, including plans for a nearly $1 billion capital investment.
Under the five-year agreement, which includes an option to extend for another five, Avelo will gain access to runways, taxiways, maintenance zones, and shared terminal facilities such as boarding gates and ticketing counters. Exclusive administrative offices are also part of the deal.
“We look forward to working with our airline partners in 2026 and beyond to bring air service to North Texas,” McKinney Mayor Bill Cox told local news.
Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy added, “We are very excited to be the launch airline at TKI,” citing benefits such as job creation and convenience for area residents.
The announcement comes following months of airport expansion efforts. McKinney National recently broke ground on its terminal and unveiled a new U.S. Customs facility to support international operations. Officials estimate the terminal will serve roughly 200,000 travelers annually at launch, with future capacity topping 1 million.
Hurdles for the expansion of the large, historically GA-focused airport; environmental concerns have drawn criticism. A lawsuit filed by the North Texas Conservation Association alleges that state regulators failed to adequately assess the project’s long-term impact.
