Relief for those long TSA lines at McGhee Tyson Airport just moved a step closer. The airport announced Monday that it has landed $10 million in federal funding to expand its security checkpoint, giving a major boost to its single-terminal screening area and pushing a decade-long modernization plan into higher gear.
Federal grant details
The money comes through the FAA’s FY2026 Airport Terminal Program. In its May 18, 2026 selections, the agency lists McGhee Tyson (TYS) for a $10,000,000 award to reconstruct the terminal and build out capacity for up to six security screening checkpoints, according to the FAA. The document flags checkpoint expansion as a primary goal for the grant, which will fund planning and early construction tied to the airport’s Terminal Area Development Program.
Airport reaction and who helped
Airport officials say the federal cash lets them move the checkpoint project from the drawing board toward engineering and actual build-out. "Expanding our security checkpoint is a key priority," MKAA President Patrick Wilson said in the announcement. Local lawmakers and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were credited with helping secure the award, as reported by WVLT.
How this fits into Flight Plan
The $10 million folds into the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority’s Flight Plan, a decade-long roadmap that calls for more gates, expanded ticketing and baggage areas, restroom renovations and a modernized security checkpoint. Flight Plan was rolled out to keep up with fast-growing passenger demand and to position TYS for new routes and more daily flights. Earlier capital planning documents show checkpoint work already budgeted for planning and design on the authority’s books, according to the airport’s Flight Plan page. Hoodline previously covered a recent concourse refresh that the authority described as an early, low-disruption step ahead of heavier construction to come.
What travelers should expect
For now, travelers should not bank on shorter security waits just yet. The airport did not release a detailed construction timeline with the announcement. Early Flight Plan projects, including a new multi-story parking garage and concourse upgrades, are already in motion, and MKAA has said the bigger terminal overhaul will roll out in phases over the next decade, according to local coverage of the airport’s expansion plans. Until design and procurement give way to active construction at the checkpoint, passengers are still being urged to arrive early and allow extra time for screening during peak periods.
What’s next
MKAA will now move the federal award through its design and procurement process. The authority has already taken up security-checkpoint design in public board meetings and agendas. More specific details on scope and timing are expected to surface at upcoming MKAA commission meetings and in FAA implementation notices as the project shifts from planning into construction.
