Southwest Airlines to begin service to Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport
McGhee Tyson Airport will offer Southwest flights to Dallas, Baltimore, Orlando and Nashville starting in March of 2026.
After several bouts of snowstorms, icy roads and bitter cold, you might be ready for a spring getaway!
And it’s never too early to look for spring break flights and deals, especially with Southwest Airlines beginning operations at Knoxville’s airport just in time for spring break. The best destinations for spring travel deals often include beach getaways, popular cities and, yes, places with warmer weather, according to the online travel agency Expedia.
Knox County Schools and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville are both out March 9-13 this year for spring break. Flights under $200 and other affordable prices are available out of Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport that week and throughout the spring months to take you to your next vacation.
Tips for spring travel
Hopper, an online travel agency that tracks airline fares, shared with Knox News a few helpful tips for spring travelers.
- Choose flexible booking options: Plans like “Cancel or Change for Any Reason” give travelers extra flexibility and the ability to shift plans if they need to, even at the last minute. These plans are available through many airlines and credit card travel booking portals.
- Depart mid-week for week-long vacations: Airfare will be highest for week-long trips beginning on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the spring break period. It’s suggested you fly on Saturday for weekend getaways.
- Fly early in the morning: Flights departing after 9 a.m. are two times more likely to be delayed than those leaving 5-8 a.m.
- Add a rebooking service: Rebooking services allow passengers to change flights due to cancellations, significant delays or personal schedule adjustments. Airlines generally rebook passengers for free if the airline is the cause of any delays. Any fees for voluntary changes often depend on the fare type, tickets or airline.
Where to fly for spring break from Knoxville
If you’re still looking for spring break destinations and ticket deals, there are some flights out of McGhee Tyson Airport that won’t put too much of a dent in your vacation budget.
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You could head to Chicago, Houston or Miami for around $200 per round trip ticket. And for $250-$280, you could check out Orlando, San Diego or Key West. These flights are available in March, but there are additional affordable options in April and May, too.
Affordable spring flights from Knoxville include:
March
- Washington, D.C. | $193
- Chicago, Illinois | $194
- Houston, Texas | $204
- Miami, Florida | $213
- Newark, New Jersey | $243
- Orlando, Florida | $249
- Denver, Colorado | $249
- San Diego, California | $276
- Key West, Florida | $279
- Dallas, Texas | $293
- New York City, New York | $294
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | $299
- Detroit, Michigan | $299
April
- Washington, D.C. | $197
- Atlanta, Georgia | $200
- Houston, Texas | $200
- Chicago, Illinois | $210
- Miami, Florida | $212
- Denver, Colorado | $250
- Dallas, Texas | $270
- Orlando, Florida | $290
- Norfolk, Virginia | $301
- Las Vegas, Nevada | $304
- Akron, Ohio | $308
- New York City, New York | $313
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | $316
May
- Atlanta, Georgia | $199
- Washington, D.C. | $214
- Chicago, Illinois | $219
- Houston, Texas | $249
- Denver, Colorado | $250
- San Diego, California | $280
- Orlando, Florida | $287
- Columbus, Ohio | $300
- San Francisco, California | $330
- Miami, Florida | $350
- New York City, New York | $366
- Phoenix, Arizona | $366
- Boston, Massachusetts | $380
Prices listed are per round trip ticket. The list includes direct and indirect flights. One or more connections are possible. Hopper found these prices for Knox News on Feb. 5.
Some of these tickets are likely through budget airlines available at McGhee Tyson, including Allegiant, Avelo and Frontier or Southwest Airlines, a low-cost carrier. Discount airlines often have the lowest fares but charge additional fees for carryon bags, seat assignments and other amenities.
Where does Southwest Airlines fly from Knoxville?
Southwest Airlines is Knoxville airport’s newest carrier and will offer new routes, including nonstop flights, starting March 5.
The airline will offer daily flights from McGhee Tyson to Dallas, Baltimore, Orlando and Nashville. Southwest also will operate a second daily Nashville flight and will offer service to Denver on a seasonal basis.
The cost for a Southwest ticket leaving Knoxville varies based on the destination, the flight’s timing and the number of stops included.
If you’d like to be one of the first to fly Southwest from Knoxville, a one-day trip from Knoxville to Orlando with non-stop flights on March 5 could cost around $362 with basic fare, based on a Feb. 5 search. A one-day trip to Tampa via Southwest would be around $376.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email [email protected].
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