McGhee Tyson Airport Eyeing Expansion Amid Increase in Travelers

BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn.

Roads are not the only transportation that will be busy this week. AAA expects nearly 72,000 people to fly this July fourth holiday. With the growth of travelers, McGhee Tyson Airport is on the runway to expansion.

Busiest Day Expected

McGhee Tyson Airport is expecting Sunday, July 7 to be the busiest day of the entire year. The airport has 120 flights that take off, on average, each day, and it is not just this weekend they are seeing the increase of flyers.

According to TYS, more than two million travelers made their way in and out of the airport. For 2025, this number is expected to continue increasing as they have already added seven new travel destinations this summer.

Expansion Plans

“Some of the destinations we are getting are more about bringing people in than us sending people to them,” said Becky Huckaby, a spokesperson for McGhee Tyson Airport. With more travelers, TYS is looking for expansion ideas to keep up with the growing numbers.

“We have more people coming through and flying through, so you want to make sure that you have hold rooms or gate areas where people feel comfortable and they have enough space to spread out,” Huckaby said. As a part of its expansion, the airport will be starting construction on a six-story parking garage in November. Huckaby said this will help accommodate the influx of travelers along with Economy Lots D and E becoming public overflow lots.