DTX Gets Its FAA Operating Certificate — and a $15 Parking Rate

McKinney National Airport now has its FAA airport operating certificate. Ignacio Flores, director of the FAA's Southwest Region Airports division, presented it to airport officials on September 24, 2026. The certificate is the Part 139 approval that any airport needs before scheduled airline service can start. It is the first new one issued to a Texas airport in more than 20 years.

"This certificate serves as the official FAA seal of approval, confirming that the airfield safety protocols and safety standards are met," Flores said, as reported by Community Impact. When we asked in August whether DTX would be ready for November, certification was the biggest item we couldn't answer. That item is now closed.

Parking now has a price. Community Impact reports the 980-space public lot will cost $15 a day, paid through a contactless system. The airport's own website still said rates would be "determined soon" as of September 25, so treat $15 as the reported figure until the airport posts it. We'll note any change. At $15, DTX costs less than half of DFW's terminal parking, which rises to $37 with a TollTag or $40 by card on October 1. It is below every Love Field garage ($18–24), and about the same as DFW's Remote lot ($14–16) without the shuttle ride.

What else is settled: the $79 million terminal opens with four gates and room for a fifth and sixth. It is designed for up to 1 million passengers a year, and the airport expects about 200,000 in the first year. Enterprise will run the on-site rental car counter. TSA baggage-screening equipment is in the building, and the terminal will feature two murals by Texas artists, in the curbside area and at baggage claim.

What's still in progress: the airport said it was days away from a temporary certificate of occupancy, which lets tenants such as the airline, TSA, and concessionaires start building out their spaces. Food, beverage, and retail vendors are still being finalized, and work continues on the taxiway linking the new terminal ramp to the extended 8,002-foot runway. "Standing here today, less than seven weeks from the opening, brings into focus just how quickly this vision is becoming a reality," airport director Ken Carley said.

The same day, Avelo added Denver, Atlanta, Nashville, and New Orleans for December and moved a third aircraft to McKinney. First departures are still on schedule: Fort Myers on November 11, Las Vegas and Orlando on November 12, and Fort Lauderdale and Tampa on November 19.