McGhee Tyson Airport

What McGhee Tyson Airport does

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is a public commercial and military airport located 12 miles south of downtown Knoxville in Alcoa, Tennessee, operated by the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA), a government airport authority established under Tennessee state jurisdiction. Founded in 1937 and named after World War I aviator Lt. Charles McGhee Tyson, the facility served 3.6 million passengers in 2025 (up from 3.3 million in 2024, when it was named the fastest-growing airport in the United States) via six airline partners — Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines — offering nonstop service to 30+ destinations.

The airport's underlying technology and infrastructure centers on a two-runway airfield, highlighted by the newly opened Runway 5L-23R, a 10,000-ft runway with an Instrument Landing System delivered through a ~$134 million reconstruction project funded by the FAA, TDOT, the Air National Guard Bureau, and MKAA. Passenger-facing technology includes TSA CT (computed tomography) X-ray scanners at security checkpoints, the Mamava lactation pod (first in Tennessee), free terminal Wi-Fi, and the FlyKnoxville website providing a Flight Information Display System and real-time parking capacity monitoring across five parking lots (~5,104 spaces total). The airport is also notable for launching the first airport-hosted podcast in the U.S., "From the Runway Up."

Revenue mechanics are diversified across parking operations (daily/hourly fees across Garage, Terminal Lots A/B, and Economy Lot C), terminal advertising (subscriptions starting at $550/month), general aviation facilities (hangar rentals via Signature Flight Support), rental car commissions (seven on-airport brands), commercial charter operations, and concession income from airline partners. The MKAA Board is chaired by Howard Vogel, with Brian Simmons serving as a former chairman and Patrick Wilson as President since 2018. The entity holds 27 consecutive years of GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and operates as a government-owned authority without venture capital or private equity ownership.

Name

McGhee Tyson Airport

Legal name

Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority

Website

https://flyknoxville.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is a government-operated commercial and military airport in Alcoa, Tennessee, serving East Tennessee with nonstop flights to 30+ destinations through six airlines and 3.6 million passengers in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Alcoa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Parking Operations: Multiple parking facilities including Garage (2,338 spaces), Terminal Lot A (667 spaces), Terminal Lot B (379 spaces), and Economy Lot C (1,720 spaces). Revenue from daily/hourly parking fees charged to travelers.
2. Terminal Advertising: Advertising displays throughout terminal building targeting travelers. Price points starting at $550 per month with flexible terms from one month to one year. Creative change-outs available monthly, quarterly, or yearly at no additional charge.
3. General Aviation Facilities: Hangar space and services provided through fixed-based operators like Signature Flight Support. Revenue from hangar rentals and services to private and corporate aircraft operators including Cirrus Aircraft training facility.
4. Commercial Charter Operations: Commercial charter flight operations accommodated at the airline terminal. Contact through Operations Duty Officer for arrangements.
5. Rental Car Commissions: Multiple rental car companies operate at the airport including Enterprise, National, Budget, Avis, Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty, generating commission revenue through facility access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is a public commercial and military airport serving East Tennessee, located 12 miles south of downtown Knoxville. It offers nonstop flights to 30+ destinations through six airline partners (Allegiant, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Avelo), and provides parking facilities (over 5,100 spaces), ground transportation coordination (rental cars, rideshare, taxis, shuttles), security screening, general aviation services, and commercial charter operations. The airport is operated by the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA), a government entity, and serves as the premier gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains region.

Product overview

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) operates as the premier commercial air facility in East Tennessee, offering a comprehensive suite of traveler services centered around its core aviation operations. The airport provides passenger flight services through multiple airline partners (Allegiant, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Frontier, Avelo), ground transportation coordination (rental cars, rideshare, taxis), and parking facilities. Key operational services include TSA security with CT scanner technology, general aviation support, commercial charter operations, and airport advertising. The airport also offers educational programs through its Aviation Academy and maintains public transparency through document repositories and statistics. Operating as the flagship facility of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA), the airport handles over 3.3 million passengers annually and serves as a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aviation Academy: A six-night program created to raise awareness of what it takes to successfully operate McGhee Tyson Airport and what crucial role the community plays in the flights and services available at the facility.
• From the Runway Up
• Flight Plan

Products and services

• McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) Commercial Aviation Operations Premier commercial air facility serving East Tennessee, located 12 miles south of downtown Knoxville, providing nonstop flights to 30+ destinations through six airlines (Allegiant, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Avelo). Handles commercial and cargo airline service, military and general aviation operations.
• Airport Parking Services Multiple parking options for travelers including Garage (2,338 spaces), Terminal Lot A (667 spaces), Terminal Lot B (379 spaces), and Economy Lot C (1,720 spaces) with real-time capacity monitoring. Economy parking is the most affordable option.
• General Aviation Services Services for private and corporate aircraft including hangar rentals, FBO services via Signature Flight Support, and the Cirrus Aircraft training facility responsible for thousands of flight operations annually. AvZ Flight Academy also operates here.
• Commercial Charter Operations Charter flight operations accommodated at the airline terminal for private groups and specialized travel needs. Arrangements coordinated through MKAA Operations Duty Officer.
• Terminal Advertising Program Advertising displays throughout the terminal building targeting over 3.3 million passengers annually. Options include displays with pricing starting at $550/month with flexible term lengths as short as one month. Creative change-outs available monthly, quarterly, or yearly at no additional charge.
• Rental Car Concessions On-airport rental car operations provided through Enterprise, National, Budget, Avis, Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty. Generates commission revenue through facility access for rental car companies serving travelers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fastest-growing airport in the United States in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Allegiant AircoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2018Allegiant established a two-aircraft base of operations at McGhee Tyson Airport with over $50M investment, creating up to 66 high-wage jobs. Base operations began October 2018, allowing Allegiant to expand service and add new nonstop routes. This was a major economic development win for the region, with Allegiant's 15th aircraft base enabling significant growth.
• Competitive Airfare PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership supporting air service development efforts. Part of collaborative effort including Blount Partnership, Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, and other organizations.
• Blount PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partnership supporting airport air service recruitment and regional tourism growth initiatives.
• Smoky Mountain Tourism Development AuthoritysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism authority collaborating with airport on visitor promotion and regional tourism marketing efforts.
• Cirrus AircraftcoreTechnology or IntegrationCirrus Aircraft opened its training facility at McGhee Tyson Airport in 2015 and is now responsible for thousands of flight operations each year, contributing significantly to general aviation growth.
• Signature Flight SupportcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAirport's fixed-based operator (FBO) providing hangar space and services. Continues to expand hangar space and services to meet growing private and corporate aviation demand.
• U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean DuffysupportingOthersSecured $10 million federal grant under FY2026 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Airport Terminal Program for security checkpoint expansion. Advocacy support from U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, Representative Tim Burchett.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreOthersPrimary funder of $134 million runway reconstruction project. FAA funding combined with TDOT, Air National Guard Bureau, and MKAA contributions.
• Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)coreOthersFunding partner for $134 million runway reconstruction project alongside FAA, Air National Guard Bureau, and MKAA.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tri-Cities Airport (TRI): Small regional airport in northeast Tennessee / southwest Virginia, directly overlapping TYS's catchment and previously led by MKAA's current President Patrick Wilson.
• Asheville Regional Airport (AVL): Tourism-driven Blue Ridge regional airport of comparable scale, competing with TYS for leisure travelers visiting the Smokies vs. the Blue Ridge and serving a similar mix of legacy and ULCC carriers.
• Chattanooga Airport (CHA): Closest regional airport to TYS, also in East Tennessee / southern Appalachia, serving overlapping catchment for leisure and business travel with similar size and airline mix.
• Huntsville International Airport (HSV): Southeast regional airport of similar passenger scale, dominated by aerospace/defense and business travel tied to the region's industrial base — comparable operating model to TYS.
• Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP): Mid-sized Southeast regional airport with comparable passenger volumes, similar leisure/business mix, and an analogous airport-authority governance structure.

Broad incumbents

• Nashville International Airport (BNA): Larger Tennessee hub airport within driving distance of TYS's catchment; a Southwest and legacy-carrier hub that draws higher-yield traffic and nonstop capacity away from TYS.
• Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA): Multi-airport authority operating Reagan and Dulles; useful comparable on governance, non-aeronautical revenue streams, and large-scale capital programs similar to MKAA's Flight Plan.

Others

• Allegiant Air: ULCC anchor carrier at TYS with a $50M+ permanent base; key customer/partner rather than direct competitor, but a critical driver of TYS's route economics and growth.
• Southwest Airlines: New sixth carrier at TYS starting March 2026 and dominant carrier at peer BNA; shapes competitive fare levels and route development in the East Tennessee market.
• Signature Flight Support: FBO partner at TYS providing general-aviation hangar and fueling services; comparable as a commercial service provider embedded in airport non-aeronautical revenue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQjF4t0rTM6tJ8Q1KVT5E6A
• Xx.com/FlyKnoxville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcghee-tyson-airport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McGhee Tyson Airport