At last! After decades, Southwest Airlines is coming to Knoxville
After more than two decades of efforts to bring the beloved airline to East Tennessee, Southwest Airlines announced a new partnership with McGhee Tyson.
Confetti burst, covering the floors of the McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) on Thursday morning. More than a hundred of East Tennessee’s economic developers, business leaders, elected officials, media, and community members gathered for an announcement they’ve been waiting for for nearly three decades: Southwest Airlines is coming to Rocky Top.
Beginning in March 2026, Southwest Airlines will open four destinations, which include a twice-daily round-trip service to Nashville, and once-daily round-trip service to Dallas, Baltimore/D.C., and Orlando. From there, people can connect to another Southwest flight and travel to nearly any destination in the country. It also opens up a lot of flexibility for tourism – allowing folks from coast to coast to visit Knoxville.
“As a top global travel destination and business hub, Tennessee is the ideal location for Southwest Airlines to expand, and we welcome them to Knoxville,” said Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. “We’re honored that Southwest, a leading American company serving millions of travelers each year, will be expanding its reach in the Volunteer State, and we’re grateful for its continued economic investment.”
The excitement around the announcement was nothing short of grand. For many economic developers, the vision for Southwest Airlines at TYS has been a dream nearly 30 years in the making.
This announcement comes on the heels of a very successful year for TYS. In 2024, the airport set a new record, serving 3.3 million passengers, which was an 18 percent increase from 2023. As such, McGee Tyson was named the fastest-growing airport in the nation, out of the top 100 airports in 2024.
“The number one question that we receive from the community was when will Southwest Airlines come to Knoxville?” said Patrick Wilson, the President for the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. “For a new airline to come to a market, it has to be the right time in that community and the right time for that airline strategy… That time is now.”
Mark Ezell, the Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, also spoke at the press conference. His energy and excitement for the impact of additional flight paths to Knoxville was unmatched.
“This region has been a powerhouse,” Ezell said. “Visitors are welcome when they come to East Tennessee. Why? Because we treat them well, they have a great experience, and they want to come back to brands like UT, the Smokies, Dollywood, Gatlinburg, and Blackberry Farms. I’m just thrilled for the travelers who are going to soon discover this incredible region for the first time.”
Though the airline servicing will not begin until March 2026, Southwest officials said one of the key things they’re excited for is University tourism. Southwest is the Official Airline of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and shared excitement to bring more fans to the Volunteer football games.
The University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd emphasized the need for this airline, especially as UT Knoxville continues to hit record enrollment numbers.
“This is a win-win for UT. We have 42,000 students who are moving in right now. They come with 84,000 parents, many of whom visit regularly. We have over 100,000 fans coming to football games. But even though you miss football, we sell out basketball, we sell out baseball,” Boyd said. “We will have people flying all year long!”
Some of the parties that made the Southwest partnership possible include the Governor’s Office, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the Knoxville Mayor’s Office, the University of Tennessee, Dollywood, the Knoxville Chamber, Visit Knoxville, the Blount Partnership, and Sevier County Tourism Agencies.
Most importantly, perhaps, is the role of Jim Evans, the Vice President, Marketing & Air Service Development at Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. For 18 years, he led the airport’s efforts and the community efforts in representing Knoxville to Southwest. The community thanked him at the press conference.
Like what you've read?
Forward to a friend!