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Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority unveils McGhee Tyson's Flight Plan, major expansion and renovation program

Flight Plan is a development plan meant to improve the passenger experience and attract more air service to East Tennessee.

ALCOA, Tenn. — The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA) and Knoxville leaders officially broke ground on the parking garage expansion and terminal roadway improvement project at McGhee Tyson Airport. They also announced the launch of Flight Plan, a major expansion and renovation program meant to accommodate passenger growth at McGhee Tyson.

Flight Plan was designed to elevate the airport by adding gates, concessions and restrooms, renovating and expanding the security checkpoint and replacing escalators. According to MKAA President Patrick Wilson, these projects are a $700 million investment in the future of McGhee Tyson over the next 10 years.

"We couldn't be more excited for the future of McGhee Tyson Airport and air travel in our region," Wilson said. "Flight Plan will help us grow in a smart and thoughtful way."

Wilson said McGhee Tyson was built to accommodate around 2.6 million passengers annually. He said projections now indicate more than 4 million passengers will travel through the airport by 2030.

"Because of this record-breaking growth, we developed a forward-looking plan that strengthens our capacity and amenities while ensuring McGhee Tyson remains the convenient, community airport passengers know and love," Wilson said.

The $186 million parking garage expansion and terminal roadway improvement project is the first of many projects under the Flight Plan program. The new parking garage will add 3,500 parking spaces and is expected to be completed in spring 2027.

"While Flight Plan is charting the course for the future of travel at McGhee Tyson Airport, we are actually focused on ensuring that our passengers and the community are minimally impacted by the construction," Wilson said. "We will provide clear and consistent communication with the goal of making sure our travelers can enjoy the same easy and efficient airport experience they've come to expect at McGhee Tyson."

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