ALCOA, Tenn. — McGhee Tyson Airport is continuing to expand — adding new direct flights as part of its continued efforts to connect East Tennessee to more locations.
Caitlin Darras, a spokesperson for the airport, said it currently sees between 5,000 and 7,000 travelers each day on average — the busiest summer ever at McGhee Tyson Airport. Because of the influx of travelers, she said the airport offers direct flights to locations like Philadelphia, Orlando and now Jacksonville.
On Friday, the inaugural flight to Jacksonville took off from the airport. One traveler on the plane said she did not expect to be among the first headed to Jacksonville from McGhee Tyson Airport.
"I'm actually just as surprised as everyone else," said Brieana Hemphil, who said she was visiting a friend who moved away. "The fact that it's easier to get to Alcoa than it is to get to Atlanta, to go get a flight all the way in Florida when Florida is like 8 hours away — it definitely saves time and money for everyone all around."
Darras said by adding more direct flights to East Tennessee, the community can stay connected to more places across the U.S.
"Having almost 30 non-stop destinations is wonderful, and we're thrilled that the airlines are continuing to invest in our region, and that really shows that the East Tennessee community is ready to travel and we are filling up those airplanes, and they're continuing to add more destinations from Knoxville," said Darras.
The airport also released a new rendering of its garage improvement project — adding new spots to help accommodate the airport's growing number of travelers.
The airport also said it hopes to improve its terminals in the future. Some early plans for the airport's future are available below, with some of the work planned to start within the next decade.
