Southwest Airlines Flight 3534 from Nashville arrives at McGhee Tyson Airport at 12:23 p.m. on March 5, marking the airline’s inaugural flight and the start of regular service to Knoxville.
Initial destinations will include Baltimore, Dallas, Nashville and Orlando, with Austin, Denver and Tampa expected to be added in the future.
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority President Patrick Wilson said flights to McGhee Tyson have increased 45% over the past three years, with continued growth expected to drive further demand.
The flight also marks nearly 20 years of negotiations to bring Southwest to the airport, said Jim Evans, vice president of marketing for the MKAA board of directors.
