A groundbreaking ceremony Friday, July 18, marks the start of work on the expansion of McKinney National Airport, known as TKI. Bob Wieland/The Princeton Herald

The City of McKinney has broken ground on a $72 million expansion of McKinney National Airport that will allow commercial passenger service to begin next year.

Federal, state and local officials gathered Friday, July 18, for the ceremony on the east side of the airport’s 8,000-foot runway.

“TKI [the airport’s FAA designation] has been a thriving and successful airport for over 40 years, but now we’re ushering in a new era of aviation for our North Texas community,” Airport Director Ken Carley said. “This is a major milestone that will bring jobs and promote economic growth in North Texas. I look forward to seeing it completed.”

The project will involve a 46,600-sqare-foot passenger terminal with four aircraft gates and nearly 1,000 parking spaces expected to serve 200,000 passengers per year when opened in late 2026.

Officials did not mention specific airlines that could serve the new airport, but Houston-based Avelo Airlines has expressed interest in providing service with its fleet of Boeing 737s. 

A $200 million bond proposal on the May 2023 ballot was rejected by nearly 59% of McKinney voters participating. That project would have included a 144,000-square-foot terminal, a new taxiway and 2,000 parking spaces. Voters previously rejected a smaller expansion plan in 2015.

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By Bob Wieland | [email protected]