FAA grants McKinney National Airport commercial service certificate

McKinney National Airport, roughly 30 miles northeast of downtown Dallas, has been issued a Part 139 Airport Operating Certificate by the FAA. The certificate lets the field handle commercial airline operations; until now it has served general aviation.

The approval came Thursday. A new passenger terminal, cleared in 2025, is still being built and is scheduled to open later in the fall.

FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Dan Edwards said the area's population is expanding quickly and that adding commercial flights would give residents more ways to fly. He tied the decision to wider efforts to strengthen the national airspace system and give Texans modern, dependable local airports.

According to the agency, it has put more than $9 million into McKinney for infrastructure, covering taxiway work and upgrades to the airport's federal contract tower.

Avelo, an ultra-low-cost carrier, is the only airline to have committed to the airport. It plans to begin flights on Nov. 11 to Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Orlando. The carrier said Thursday it will add Denver, Atlanta, New Orleans and Nashville, Tennessee, in December.

McKinney is the first Texas airport to receive an Airport Operating Certificate since 2005.