A press conference was held at the Tulsa International Airport in the TSA Terminal on Thurs. January 22, 2026 to inform the public about the improvement plans and the process of getting more direct flight paths and add additional airlines.
A press conference was held at the Tulsa International Airport in the TSA Terminal on Thurs. January 22, 2026 to inform the public about the improvement plans and the process of getting more direct flight paths and add additional airlines. Credit: Bianca Worley

Tulsa International Airport is adding new nonstop flights, infrastructure developments and increased seating this year. 

The Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust laid out its 2026 plans Thursday in its first-ever “State of the Airport” meeting. 

“I’ve never seen this much activity happening at the airport. We have so many historic projects underway,” Alexis Higgins, CEO of the trust, said during the event, which featured board members along with city and state elected officials. “It’s important, I thought, that we brought everybody together to celebrate.”

2025 accomplishments

Mayor Monroe Nichols kicked off the event by offering highlights of 2025. He said the airport had a $5.8 billion economic impact on the region, increased the overall outbound seat capacity by over 180,000 and boasted a 9.1 out of 10 overall on customer experience.

The airport also announced it will add new direct flights to Seattle and San Diego on Alaska Airlines starting March 18. On May 21, direct flights will be available to Minneapolis and Cancun on Sun Country Airlines. Southwest also announced it will add an extra daily service this year to Nashville and more departures to Chicago. 

The airport’s next targets include direct flights to San Francisco and Boston. 

Higgins also noted that TIA was the first airport in the Southwest to implement a Federal Aviation Association approved Safety Management System, which is a formal organizational approach to managing safety. The airport was the third to have its system approved nationally.

A press conference was held at the Tulsa International Airport in the TSA Terminal on Thurs. January 22, 2026 to inform the public about the improvement plans and the process of getting more direct flight paths and add additional airlines.
A press conference was held at the Tulsa International Airport in the TSA Terminal on Thurs. January 22, 2026 to inform the public about the improvement plans and the process of getting more direct flight paths and add additional airlines. Credit: Bianca Worley / Tulsa Flyer

Infrastructure developments

Among the major projects that underway for 2026, two stand out: 

Other plans for 2026 include:

  • Establishing a certified drone corridor between Class Charlie airspace and the Skyway Range in partnership with the Osage Nation through the Tulsa Tech Hubs program. 
  • Exploring alternative power sources and develop a plan to ensure resilient power across campus. 
  • Implementing a water usage tracking system. 
  • Integrating new digital window displays with integrated flight tracking, so visitors will know exactly which planes are landing. 
  • Reenergizing the airport tour program to increase youth interest in aviation. 

“In 2026 we will continue to invite our community into our terminal and onto our property, because Tulsa’s airports belong to the people of Tulsa,” Higgins said. 

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify construction on the new air traffic control tower is expected to be completed this fall.

Ismael Lele is a Report for America corps member and writes about business in Tulsa for The Oklahoma Eagle. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting this link.

Ismael Lele is the business reporter at The Oklahoma Eagle. He is a Report for America corps member. Ismael has been reporting since he was in high school, where he channeled his interest for writing into...