Tag: McKinney National Airport

Picture this. It is late 2026. You step off an Avelo Boeing 737 at McKinney National Airport, walk through a brand new terminal, get to your car, and 20 minutes later you are pulling into Princeton, Texas, one of the fastest growing cities in America.

That is not a someday scenario. That is the timeline right now on the east side of Collin County.

We moved our family from South Florida to Prosper, Texas in 2022, so we know what it feels like to choose a place from a distance and hope you got it right. If you fly into North Texas for work, or your company is relocating you to Collin County, two massive infrastructure bets are landing at the same time on this side of the county. Here is what is happening and why we think Princeton and east McKinney deserve a serious look now.

What Is Happening at McKinney National Airport

McKinney National Airport (airport code TKI) sits on the east side of McKinney, Texas. Commercial passenger service is on the way.

The new terminal

• A 46,000 square foot passenger terminal broke ground on July 18, 2025.
• Commercial service begins November 11, 2026, with the first Avelo departure to Fort Myers. Commercial flights get a new airport code: DTX.
• The terminal opens with 4 gates and can expand to 6.
• Parking opens with 980 spaces and can expand to 1,450.

How it is being paid for

The total expansion costs 79 million dollars, and the terminal itself is 58 million dollars. Funding comes from sales tax revenue bonds, a 14.8 million dollar Texas Department of Transportation grant, tax increment reinvestment zone funds, and city and airport funds. No property tax dollars are being used. If you are buying a home nearby, that detail matters.

The first airline

Avelo Airlines signed as the first carrier in September 2026 and is basing 3 Boeing 737 aircraft at McKinney. Nine nonstop destinations roll out starting November 11: Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Denver, Nashville, and New Orleans. The expanded operation is expected to create more than 150 local jobs.

Why it matters for the region

• McKinney National Airport becomes the third commercial airport in the Dallas Fort Worth region and the first commercial airport in Collin County.
• The airport projects about 200,000 passengers in its first year of commercial service, growing toward 1 million passengers a year by about 2031.
• The airport director has projected the economic impact at near 1 billion dollars a year to the region.

For a corporate traveler, the takeaway is simple. You may soon have a commercial airport on the same side of the county where you live.

What Is Happening on US 380

US 380 is the main road connecting McKinney to Princeton. If you have driven it during rush hour, you already understand why a bigger plan is coming.

In September 2023, TxDOT selected the Blue Alternative route for the US 380 bypass with its final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision. Here is what the plan includes:

• An 8 lane freeway bypass wrapping around north McKinney
• A route from near Coit Road to US 380 near FM 1827
• An estimated cost of 3.27 billion dollars
• Construction not expected to begin until 2026 or 2027 at the earliest, pending funding

What this means for you: the bypass is a long horizon project. It will not change your commute next month. But a 3.27 billion dollar commitment tells you where the state expects traffic, and people, to keep going. We would rather buy in the path of that growth than after it is finished and fully priced in. Read our full explainer: The US 380 Bypass Explained in Plain English.

One more thing. Drive 380 yourself at the hours you would actually commute before you pick a neighborhood. A map cannot show you what 5:30 on a Tuesday feels like.

Why Princeton Belongs on Your List

Princeton sits on US 380 east of McKinney, about a 20 minute drive from McKinney National Airport. Here is the growth story.

• Census data: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates show Princeton grew 18.1 percent from July 2024 to July 2025, the third fastest growing US city with more than 20,000 residents.
• Regional data: The North Central Texas Council of Governments reports Princeton grew about 30 percent in 2025, adding roughly 10,000 residents.
• The bigger picture: Princeton has grown from 17,501 residents in 2020 to an estimated 48,362 in 2026.
• Schools: Princeton ISD has added nearly 1,000 students recently.

Growth like that shows up as new neighborhoods, new construction, and new families who made the same decision you are weighing right now.

What to know going in

Princeton is largely a bedroom community today. The average commute is 33 minutes, and about 23.7 percent of residents work outside Collin County. Local employment is projected to grow, and a commercial airport 20 minutes away with more than 150 new local jobs attached is part of that picture.

For a corporate relocator who travels often, that combination is the point. You get a fast growing town, a commute many of your neighbors already make every day, and a commercial airport close to home.

Where Else to Look Near the Airport

Princeton is not the only option. If being close to TKI matters to you, we would look at the whole US 380 corridor.

East McKinney

The airport is on the east side of McKinney, so east McKinney puts you closest to the terminal while keeping you inside the city. If you want the full picture of neighborhoods, schools, and daily life there, start with our guide to living in McKinney.

Farther east along 380

The same logic that makes Princeton interesting applies to the towns along 380 beyond it. As the airport and the highway plans mature, we expect relocation buyers to keep looking at this whole stretch. Each town has its own school district, tax picture, and drive time, so compare them side by side before you fall in love with a floor plan. We put the full comparison in our guide to where to live near McKinney National Airport, with Princeton, east McKinney, Farmersville, and Greenville side by side.

How we would compare them

• Drive time to TKI and to your office
• School district and campus assignment for the specific address
• Property tax rate, plus any HOA or special district assessments
• How close the home sits to the planned bypass route

What We Would Do If We Were Relocating Here Now

We have been the family moving across the country with kids and a deadline. Here is how we would approach it.

1. Settle the money before you shop. Get your financing strategy in place first so you know exactly what you are shopping for. Arlicia, NMLS 1550570, walks relocating families through this before they ever tour a home.
2. Map your real week. List your office, the airport, school, church, and anywhere else you go regularly. Then test those drives.
3. Look at the address, not just the city. School assignments, tax districts, and HOAs can change from one neighborhood to the next.
4. Check the bypass route. Know whether a home sits near the planned corridor and what that could mean during and after construction.
5. Move before the crowd notices. Once commercial flights are running and the bypass gets underway, more buyers will be looking at this side of the county. Doing your homework now gives you more choices and more time.

Ready to Look at Homes Near McKinney Airport?

If you are flying into TKI for work, or your company is moving you to Collin County, we would love to help you sort out both sides of the move: the home and the money.

• Read our Princeton TX relocation guide for airport area buyers
• Book a free relocation strategy call with us
• Download our free Start Here North Texas relocation guide
• Browse homes for sale in McKinney

We made this move ourselves. We would be glad to help you make yours with a clear plan.

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Luke Jones, REALTOR, eXp Realty, Texas license #793146. Arlicia Jones, NMLS 1550570, Elite Lending Solutions, Inc., Company NMLS 1829246. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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