By R.J. Morales | July 20, 2025
McKINNEY, Texas — On July 18, city officials broke ground on McKinney National Airport’s (TKI) long-planned commercial passenger terminal, celebrating what Mayor Bill Cox called a “major milestone” in the city’s growth.
“We officially broke ground on the new terminal at TKI–McKinney National Airport, and I couldn’t be more excited about what this means for our city’s future,” Cox said. “This project represents more than just infrastructure — it’s an investment in economic growth, regional connectivity, and McKinney’s continued rise as a destination of choice for business and innovation.”
The $79 million facility is scheduled to open in late 2026. Designed by Dallas-based Corgan, the terminal will include four gates (expandable to six), new taxiways, aircraft ramps, centralized food and beverage concessions, onsite rental car facilities, and a 980-space parking lot. It is expected to serve 200,000 passengers annually at launch, with room to grow to over one million.
Councilmember Gere Feltus highlighted the broader regional benefits in a statement posted to her official Facebook page, writing:
“A new era in North Texas’s aviation history has officially begun as TKI held an official groundbreaking for its new passenger terminal. This $79 million investment will make TKI the third commercial airport in North Texas, offering travelers a hometown option to fly without the hassle.”
A Workaround After Voter Rejection
But this new era did not begin without complications. In November 2023, McKinney voters rejected a $200 million general obligation bond that would have funded the terminal through public borrowing backed by property taxes. In response, the city found a different path.
According to the City of McKinney, “City leaders have worked hard to identify funding for a new passenger terminal not backed by property taxes and to control construction costs. We heard our voters and found another way forward to bring important air service to North Texas.”
The funding now comes from a patchwork of non-property-tax sources, including sales tax revenue bonds from the McKinney Economic Development Corporation and Community Development Corporation, a Texas Department of Transportation grant, airport revenues, and money from a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ).
The city maintains that this terminal fulfills a key part of its strategic vision. “Maximizing the development of TKI is one of the McKinney City Council’s six strategic goals,” the official statement reads. Citing ongoing population and business growth pushing farther north, city officials argue that responsible airport development must begin now in order to support mobility, cut travel times, and offer more affordable air options than DFW or Love Field.
Airline Uncertainty Remains
However, despite the groundbreaking and long-term planning, no airline has publicly committed to servicing TKI. One potential partner, Avelo Airlines, provided a cautious but revealing statement to TX3DNews.
“We have no immediate plans to begin service at TKI,” wrote Avelo’s Communications Manager Courtney Goff. “We wrote a letter of intent, pending several things needing to be done at the airport and things that have to align within the Avelo business model.”
In a follow-up, Goff clarified that there are no contracted charters planned for TKI and that discussions remain informal:
“We’re in communication with a lot of airports that we’re interested in for service, so while we’re talking to TKI, we’re also talking to many other airports as opportunities arise.”
Avelo declined to comment further, citing confidentiality agreements and the early nature of discussions.
A Terminal Without Takeoff — Yet
McKinney has been pursuing commercial air service since 2019, and this terminal represents the culmination of that effort—at least on the infrastructure side. What remains to be seen is whether an airline will commit in time for a 2026 launch.
Until then, the runways may be paved, the gates may be built, but the boarding passes will have to wait.
Notably Absent: Congressman Keith Self
Although city leaders, councilmembers, and Senator Ted Cruz publicly acknowledged the groundbreaking, Congressman Keith Self was notably absent and has made no public comments about the terminal project. While he has visited McKinney National Airport in other contexts—such as touring a drone facility—he has remained silent on what is arguably the city’s most significant infrastructure investment to date. As McKinney moves forward with a project seen by many as essential to its long-term growth and regional connectivity, Self’s absence and silence are increasingly conspicuous.