KNOXVILLE (February 5, 2020) —The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA) is excited to announce that a record number of passengers traveled through McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in 2019, making it the busiest year in the airport’s 82-year history. With the addition of five destinations and the upgrade of numerous aircraft fleet operating in the market, TYS grew by 15.8% over the previous calendar year and hosted 2,572,775 passengers. Furthermore, in comparison to years passed, the airport has grown by 29% since 2017 and by 41% since 2016.
“For the past 44 months, McGhee Tyson Airport has experienced substantial growth,” said Eddie Mannis, Chairman of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority’s Board of Commissioners. “This airport growth is the product of the strong support of the people, businesses, and government organizations in our community; the multitude of attractive tourism opportunities nearby; and the commitment by the airlines that serve our market to provide air service to popular destinations.”
Over the past year, the MKAA quickly implemented multiple capital projects in order to accommodate this growth and make the passenger experience more convenient. Along with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the MKAA opened a fourth security checkpoint lane to reduce the time passengers spend in line for security. In addition, to alleviate parking congestion, the MKAA opened 300 new parking spots in the Economy Lot, the most affordable parking lot.
“We are thankful for the support of the community and airlines that operate at McGhee Tyson Airport,” said Mannis. “The MKAA staff has made a significant impact on the options travelers have when flying into and out of the airport, and we are committed to aggressively recruiting new air service options with a strong emphasis on lower airfares.”
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