One aviation analyst said he expects other DFW suburbs to explore commercial flights too, as the metroplex continues to boom.
MCKINNEY, Texas — Ultra-low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines plans to operate up to three Boeing 737 flights a day from the McKinney National Airport when it opens late next year, a letter of intent obtained by WFAA showed.
The airline estimated it will serve 130,000 people in the first year of operations, then grow to about 450,000 per year within three years of starting service, the document showed.
WFAA first reported last week on Houston-based Avelo’s intention to start flights at McKinney. The airline already flies from DFW International Airport to its hub in New Haven, Connecticut, but its self-described strategy is to fly into smaller and “more convenient” airports.
At the time, an Avelo spokesperson said the airline had no additional comment to offer.
Last week, a McKinney spokesperson declined to comment on any “ongoing negotiation with carriers,” but said: “We do want to share how excited we are that community members will soon have affordable flights from [McKinney National Airport] without long drives to the other two airports in the region.”
Growth to the north of the metroplex will help drive demand at the airport, said aviation analyst Steve Cosgrove of Dynamic Travel.
“I mean, they can’t build the highways fast enough,” he said. “I think there’s tremendous potential for this airport to do well.”
He said it makes sense that Avelo would be among the first carriers to express its intent to fly from McKinney because they are “always looking for little niche markets that are underserved or not served.”
But it might be a while before some of the larger carriers fly out of TKI.
“You’re not going to see Delta or United or American come in there – at least initially,” he said. “You’re going to see Allegiant, maybe Spirit, Frontier, the low-cost carriers coming in.”
Cosgrove said he expects other suburbs in the metroplex will also explore expanding their airports to include commercial flights as the population boom in North Texas continues.
“This is going to turn out to be a little bit like Los Angeles with Long Beach, Palm Springs, and Santa Ana with satellite airports,” he said.