McKinney National Airport to host free display day ahead of commercial service

A row of helicopters, corporate jets and small planes will sit on McKinney National Airport’s ramp May 9, giving Collin County residents a first look at the airport’s shift from a long-time general-aviation field to a commercial travel hub.

The free Display Day runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1508 Industrial Blvd. Admission and parking are free, but guest parking is limited and first-come, first-served. The city is urging visitors to carpool or use ride shares, and food and drinks will be sold on site.

The event is designed to show what is changing at the airport before passenger service begins. Exhibitors will include McKinney National Airport, Avelo Airlines, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting personnel and vehicle, and local flight schools. Visitors will also see emergency medical services helicopters, corporate jets, Civil Air Patrol aircraft, short takeoff and landing planes, Cirrus aircraft and a Cessna Citation Mustang.

Airport Director Ken Carley said the goal is to let the public meet the airport team and learn more about the services being built around McKinney National Airport. That matters because the project is no longer just about aviation enthusiasts on the south side of McKinney. City data says the airport generates more than $299 million in annual economic activity, a figure that has risen 41% from the 2018 economic-impact study.

The airport opened in 1979 as McKinney Municipal Airport and later became Collin County Regional Airport before taking its current name. Now, the city says it is targeting late 2026 for commercial passenger service. Avelo Airlines has already signed the airport’s first Airline Use and Lease Agreement, a key step toward scheduled flights.

The buildout is substantial. City materials describe a 46,000-square-foot terminal with four initial gates and room to expand to six, along with a 980-space public parking lot that can grow to 1,450 spaces. The plan also includes on-site rental car facilities and a deicing area, infrastructure that will shape how residents and visitors move through the site once commercial flights begin.

For nearby neighborhoods, Display Day will offer a rare chance to stand on the edge of that transition and see the scale of the changes up close. The airport’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting station, adjacent to Gate 1, already provides 24/7 fire suppression and EMS coverage for the airport and the surrounding community, underscoring how the site is becoming a larger piece of McKinney’s transportation and economic base.