By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
MCKINNEY, Texas — Years of public meetings, contentious elections, City Council votes and courtroom battles have led to this moment.
Avelo Airlines announced Tuesday it will begin scheduled commercial passenger service from McKinney National Airport on Nov. 11, becoming the airport’s first commercial airline and bringing nonstop flights to five destinations from what will become Collin County’s hometown airport.
“We are thrilled to be the launch and anchor airline at McKinney,” Avelo Founder and CEO Andrew Levy said in a news release. “Our everyday low fares, the ease of using DTX, and our consistent industry-leading on-time performance are a winning combination for travelers.”
Beginning on Veterans Day, travelers will be able to fly nonstop from McKinney to Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa aboard 184-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Introductory one-way fares start at $99, and customers booking through the end of July will receive one free checked bag.
A project years in the making
McKinney has weighed commercial passenger service for years as city leaders searched for ways to keep pace with Collin County’s booming population.
Supporters say it gives residents a convenient alternative to driving to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport or Dallas Love Field, while creating jobs and drawing new investment to the region.
Avelo says its North Texas base will create more than 100 local jobs, including pilots, flight attendants, aircraft technicians and airport personnel.
Levy said the region is primed for growth. “As a proud Texas-born company, we are excited to grow our presence in North Texas and Collin County, one of the fastest-growing areas in America,” he said.
City leaders share that optimism. In the release, McKinney Mayor Bill Cox said the service “reflects the demand for convenient air travel closer to home and reinforces McKinney’s position as a destination for residents, businesses, and investment.”
Airport Director Ken Carley tied the launch to the November opening of a new passenger terminal, a goal he said city and airport leaders have pursued since 2019. Travelers, he said, “have many new developments to look forward to, including saving time and money as they can now fly from their local airport.”
Airport expansion remains under legal challenge
While Avelo’s announcement signals confidence in the airport’s future, the commercial expansion still faces a legal challenge.
The North Texas Conservation Association, a nonprofit focused on protecting the region’s natural environment, has sued in Collin County to block the project, arguing the city’s plan to finance the expansion conflicts with the will of voters, who rejected bond measures tied to the airport.
The city disputes that claim and has continued moving the project forward as the case remains pending.
TX3DNews reached out to the North Texas Conservation Association for comment but did not receive a response by publication.
Questions about future growth
Avelo unveiled its initial five-route network, but its long-term plans for McKinney are still coming into focus.
In response to questions from TX3DNews, Communications Manager Courtney Goff said hiring is already underway, with applications available at AVELOAIR. Most positions will be filled locally, she said, though current employees may relocate if they choose.
Goff said the airline projects it could serve “upwards of 190,000 customers flown annually with the current flight schedule and frequencies.” Asked whether Avelo would add destinations beyond the initial five if demand is strong, she answered in a word: “Yes.”
Goff did not provide specific figures on the broader economic impact the base is expected to have on McKinney and Collin County.
What happens next
Between now and Nov. 11, airport officials will work to finish the new terminal and stand up the operation needed to move commercial passengers, while the legal challenge over the expansion continues to make its way through the courts.
For travelers across McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Plano, Princeton and the rest of Collin County, Avelo’s arrival delivers something long discussed but never realized — the chance to board a commercial flight without ever leaving the county.
By November, the years of debate give way to something concrete: a working terminal, more than 100 new jobs, and nonstop flights leaving from an airport most Collin County residents can reach in minutes. How far it grows from there — more destinations, more passengers, a bigger footprint in North Texas — will be written in the months after that first departure.
Not sure I’d trust an airline that says they’re “Collin County’s Hometown Airline, Launching Nonstop Service to Five Destinations from McKinney National Airport” when their own press release page has downtown Dallas as the backdrop…