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McGhee Tyson Airport will lose service from Denver-based Frontier Airlines after Aug. 17, but the Knoxville airport expects the departure to be temporary.
The news of Frontier’s exit comes as Knoxville’s airport works to reshape itself amid passenger growth, landing both a new airline in Southwest and new flights throughout 2026.
Frontier flies a regular, direct route to Denver three times a week. From Colorado, passengers use the low-cost airline to travel throughout the U.S., connecting to destinations that include San Francisco, Seattle and Cancun. The airline, one of McGhee Tyson's six carriers, began operating in Knoxville in 2011.
Frontier says it will return to East Tennessee to offer flights from Knoxville on a seasonal basis, airport spokesperson Becky Huckaby told Knox News via text. In the meantime, Allegiant, Southwest Airlines and United also offer nonstop service to Denver.
McGhee Tyson was ranked in 2024 as the fastest growing major U.S. airport and has continued to break records for passenger numbers.
Frontier has attempted to capitalize on the 2026 closure of ultra-budget rival Spirit Airlines, tracking a rise in share prices and bidding millions on Spirit’s old flight slots. The company’s May financial report shows Frontier’s adjusted revenue for the early months of 2026 was a little less than $1.1 billion.
Frontier exit comes amid changes for Knoxville’s airport
Growth is one of the watchwords at McGhee Tyson, which is building a new parking garage and planning to revamp its terminal as part of its long-range plan for the coming years.
Southwest became McGhee Tyson's newest catch in March, joining American, Avelo, Delta, Frontier and United airlines serving the Knoxville airport.
McGhee Tyson hosts travelers going to and from dozens of destinations. Southwest recently unveiled nonstop service to Las Vegas, and United is adding a New Jersey route that will give Knoxville travelers easier access to New York City.
Frontier’s exit also comes amid a wave of political change at McGhee Tyson. For the first time in the airport's history, the people making decisions about spending and strategy will mostly be chosen by Tennessee state officials.
The Tennessee legislature in 2026 vacated the governing boards of every major metro airport in the state. As of July 21, two of McGhee Tyson's nine board members will be new to their roles − and they’ll have a lot to learn as projects pick up.
The new McGhee Tyson board members will have decisions to make about the airport’s future in their first public meeting July 22. Here are a few questions they'll be considering:
- Who heads up the governing board after the state takeover? Howard Vogel and Allison Page served as chair and vice chair until the state changed the law, and both were reappointed to serve on the board. The new members will help decide how to move forward together.
- Who helps the airport revamp its terminal? Terminal upgrades are a major part of McGhee Tyson’s growth plans.
- And what's the latest on the construction of the new parking garage? This is the airport’s most expensive project to date.
Mariah Franklin reports on technology and energy for Knox News. Email: [email protected]. Signal: mariahfranklin.01
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Frontier Airlines leaving McGhee Tyson soon but may return to Knoxville
