Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)
History, Facts and Overview

(Knoxville, Tennessee - TN, USA)

Knoxville's airport enjoys a long ad rich history, which begins in 1929, when the city acquired around 60 acres / 24 hectares of land on the southerly outskirts. Named after Charles McGhee Tyson, a former Knoxville resident and Navy Lieutenant, McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) was initially just a small private airfield.

However, in the early 1930s, the fortunes of the airport were about the change for the better, since the nearby Sutherland Avenue Airport was no longer able to cope with increasing traffic.


McGhee Tyson Airport was chosen as its replacement in 1935 and soon expanded. 30 years later, annual passenger levels were approaching 600,000 per year, rising to just over one million in 1986, and steadily increasing ever since.

The site is situated around 12 miles / 19 km south of central Knoxville and features a large terminal, which contains a bank and ATMs (automated teller machines), Wi-Fi Internet access throughout the airport building and telecommunication facilities. There is also a wide range of places to eat and drink at McGhee Tyson, as well as a gift shop and a newsagent.