An airliner wing with a red winglet over a soft sea of clouds, seen from a window seat

McGhee Tyson Airport · Pick-up and drop-off

Pick-up and drop-off at TYS.

Departures upstairs, arrivals downstairs, a free waiting lot behind the Hilton, and a curb lane closed until spring 2027. Here is where every kind of ride meets you.

Where is my ride?Pick-up timer

Photo: Pexels

Short answer

Drop off at the upper level (Departures) and pick up at the lower level (Arrivals and Baggage Claim). Wait free in the Phone & Wait lot behind the Airport Hilton, open 24 hours, until your passenger calls. Until spring 2027 there is no curb parking downstairs. Uber and Lyft pick up to the right as you exit the lower level; taxis and hotel shuttles on the north side.

Verified Oct 19, 2026

Knox Nonstop is an independent guide, not the airport. For live parking, flight status and official notices, use flyknoxville.com.

At a glance

The basics

$0to wait in the Phone & Wait lot.

24hours a day the waiting lot is open.

2levels: drop off up, pick up down.

Spring2027 is when the closed curb lane is due to reopen.

Interactive

Where do I meet my ride?

Choose how you are leaving the airport and follow the steps.

Where do I meet my ride?Pick how you are leaving

Approximate schematic, not to scale.

Family or a friend picking me up

Step 1 Your driver waits free in the Phone & Wait lot behind the Airport Hilton, staying with the car.
Step 2 Call or text them once you have your bags, as the airport suggests.
Step 3 Meet them at the lower-level curb (Arrivals and Baggage Claim). Through spring 2027 the curb is pick-up only, with no parking.

Interactive

When to leave the waiting lot.

For the driver: enter the landing time and your own estimates.

Pick-up timerFor whoever is driving

Flight lands at Minutes from landing to bags in hand (your estimate) Minutes from the Phone & Wait lot to the curb (your estimate)

Expect the call about 6:20 p.m.

At the curb about 6:25 p.m.

Wait in the free lot until your passenger calls, then drive over. Check the arrival time in the airline's app before you leave home.

Construction

The lower-level lane closure

Aug 24, 2026 to spring 2027
The left lane on the lower-level roadway closest to the parking garage is closed so crews can build the canopy for a covered walkway between the new garage and the terminal.
What it means
Lower-level access for pick-up is restricted. Curb parking is not available; it is a designated pick-up location only. Keep moving and follow posted signs.
Holidays
The airport says the lane will temporarily reopen during peak holiday travel periods, and asks drivers to use the Phone & Wait lot.

A widebody jet parked at a jet bridge on a floodlit apron at night while ground crews load cargo

Parking instead?

Walking them in? Park in the garage.

The airport calls the garage the most convenient option for walking in with a passenger. It costs $1 per 20 minutes, up to $22 a day.

Parking guide

Photo: Pexels

More airport guides

Questions

Where is the cell phone lot at the Knoxville airport?

The free Phone & Wait lot is behind the Airport Hilton. It is open 24 hours a day, and vehicles cannot be left unattended. For the holidays the airport suggested using the Hunt Road exit to reach it.

Where do I pick someone up at McGhee Tyson Airport?

At the lower-level curb (Arrivals and Baggage Claim). The airport suggests waiting in the Phone & Wait lot until your passenger calls with their bags.

Can I park at the curb at TYS?

No. From Aug 24, 2026 through spring 2027 the left lane on the lower-level roadway closest to the garage is closed for construction, curb parking is not available, and the curb is a designated pick-up location only. The lane reopens during peak holiday periods.

Where do I drop off at TYS?

At the upper-level curb (Departures and Ticketing). If you want to walk in with your passenger, the airport says the garage is the most convenient place to park.

Where is Uber pickup at the Knoxville airport?

Outside on the lower level. As you exit the building, the pick-up area is directly to the right.

Can someone help a passenger from the car with a wheelchair?

Yes. The airport says to notify customer service at (865) 342-3180 or the traffic officers on the curbside roadways. Customer service staff are available 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sources