ALCOA, Tenn. — It's been a busy 14 months at McGhee Tyson Airport, and officials expect the momentum to continue.
"Airlines are really investing in our community and in our airport because people are wanting to travel, and we're seeing that this summer," said Caitlin Darras, a spokeswoman for the airport.
The airport's surface and garage parking lots are full, and a new economy lot opened recently. But, more parking spots are on the way. The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority Board got a look a new renderings of parking garages planned for the location.
According to the plans, a $190 million, six-story structure is in the works. The parking garage would have 3,500 parking spots, and a floor dedicated to rental cars, and it would be about 1.2 million square feet large.
"It will be the first thing you see whenever you come on airport property," Darras said. "You'll be able to see it from Alcoa Highway. It'll be a very prominent structure on airport property, so we really wanted to make sure it's as pretty we could make it. So, the inspiration is East Tennessee. It's our region, it's the Great Smoky Mountains. And we took a lot of time and put a lot of thought in making sure the parking garage represented our area."
If all goes to plan, work on the lot would start next year, and be complete in 2027.
Darras said the increase in passengers means people should get to the airport around two hours before their flights, so they have time to park and get through security. She said the airport is making another change, too.
People who are picking up their loved ones are being asked to wait at a cell phone lot and pull up once they know the passenger is ready to be picked up, instead of waiting in line outside the airport's exit.
"If you're picking up a loved one, we recommend you utilize our phone and the waiting lot," Darras said.
She said around 100 free parking spots at a new cell phone lot have opened near the airport's Hilton Hotel.
