Aerial view of Neyland Stadium, the University of Tennessee's football stadium in Knoxville, with its double-deck stands wrapped around the field

Game days · Tennessee football 2026

Flying in for a Vols game.

Home-game weekends are when Knoxville's airport breaks its own records. Here is the 2026 home schedule, how the busiest weekend in TYS history played out, and a planner from wheels-down to kickoff and back.

Plan my game trip Airport to Neyland

Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Fly into McGhee Tyson (TYS), about 15.6 miles and 31 minutes from Neyland Stadium without traffic. Tennessee's 2026 home slate is Furman, Kennesaw State, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky (Nov 7) and LSU (Nov 21). Game weekends are TYS's busiest: the airport forecast its busiest day ever, about 10,000 passengers, on Sunday, Sept 27, 2026, after Texas. Book early and allow 3 hours at the airport on the Sunday.

Schedule verified on utsports.com, Oct 19, 2026

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

By the numbers

Game weekends at TYS

10,000passengers forecast for Sunday, Sept 27, 2026, the busiest day in TYS history.

7home games at Neyland Stadium in 2026.

101,915seats in Neyland Stadium, sixth-largest in college football.

31minutes from the terminal to Neyland, no traffic.

Interactive

Plan your game weekend.

Pick a home game, then add the kickoff time and your flight home. The planner lays out the whole day.

2026 home game plannerSchedule from utsports.com, Oct 19, 2026

Tennessee vs Kentucky

Game day: Saturday, Nov 7, 2026
Kickoff: 6-8 p.m. ET window (TV time TBD)
KAT shuttles: Market Square, Civic Coliseum and Old City (SEC game)
Busy airport days: The Thursday before and the Sunday after

The record weekend pattern: the airport forecast its peak rental car day for the Thursday and its busiest passenger day for the Sunday after the game.

Build your game-day timeline

Kickoff (enter the announced time) Your Sunday flight home Staying near

2:30 p.m. Security perimeter around Neyland opens (4 hours before kickoff)
3:30 p.m. Stadium gates open and KAT shuttles start running (3 hours before)
6:30 p.m. Kickoff
8:13 a.m. Sunday: leave for TYS (32 min drive + 15 min cushion)
9:00 a.m. In the terminal, 3 hours before your flight

Stadium and shuttle times are from Tennessee Athletics and KAT. The 3-hour airport cushion matches the airport's advice for the Tennessee vs Texas surge; for other game weekends it is our suggestion, since the airport's general guidance is 2.5 hours. Drive times are OSRM estimates with no traffic.

Tennessee vs Texas, 2026

How the record weekend played out

Tue, Sept 22, 2026
The airport warned of an unprecedented travel period from Thursday, Sept 24 through Monday, Oct 19, as fans came for Tennessee vs Texas and local families left for fall break.
Thu, Sept 24
Forecast as the airport's peak rental car day.
Sat, Sept 26
Tennessee hosted Texas at Neyland Stadium.
Sun, Sept 27
Forecast as the busiest passenger day in McGhee Tyson history, about 10,000 passengers through the terminal.

What the airport did

Added staff throughout the terminal, coordinated with concessions for bigger crowds, supported TSA, opened ticket counters and the checkpoint earlier than normal, and kept maintenance crews on standby.

What it asked travelers to do

Arrive at least 3 hours early, download the airline's app, prebook ground transportation, and expect longer waits at counters, security and concessions.

Ground game

From the airport to the game

No pass? Don't drive to campus

Tennessee Athletics says lots around Neyland are reserved for pass holders and advises fans without passes to avoid the campus corridor, stay downtown or use KAT shuttles.

KAT football shuttles

$10 round trip from Market Square (Krutch Park), and from Old City for SEC games, bought in the Transit app. Or $30 per vehicle to park at the Civic Coliseum, shuttle included. Service starts 3 hours before kickoff.

Getting there from TYS

Rental car, rideshare or taxi; the airport runs no shuttle into town. Rideshare picks up to the right outside the lower level. Compare rides.

Neyland Stadium

Clear bag, no re-entry.

Gates open 3 hours before kickoff and the stadium is cashless. Check your bag against the rules before you pack.

Stadium guide and bag checker

Photo: AppalachianCentrist, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Nonstops

Flying in from somewhere else?

TYS has nonstop flights to 36 destinations as of October 2026, on six airlines. Some are seasonal and some fly only a few days a week, so check the days before you build a weekend around one.

Every nonstop from TYS

More guides

Questions

What is the closest airport to Neyland Stadium?

Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Alcoa. OSRM routing puts the terminal 15.6 miles from Neyland Stadium, about 31 minutes without game traffic.

When are Tennessee's 2026 home football games?

Per Tennessee Athletics: Furman (Sept 5), Kennesaw State (Sept 19), Texas (Sept 26), Auburn (Oct 3), Alabama (Oct 17), Kentucky (Nov 7) and LSU (Nov 21), all at Neyland Stadium.

How busy is the Knoxville airport on game weekends?

Very. The airport forecast Sunday, Sept 27, 2026, the day after Tennessee hosted Texas, as the busiest passenger day in its history with about 10,000 passengers, and Thursday, Sept 24 as its peak rental car day.

How early should I get to TYS after a Vols game?

For the Tennessee vs Texas surge (Sept 24 to Oct 19, 2026) the airport advised at least 3 hours. Its general guidance is 2.5 hours. We suggest 3 hours on any home-game Sunday.

Can I park at Neyland Stadium on game day?

Lots around the stadium are reserved for pass holders. Tennessee Athletics advises fans without passes to stay downtown or use KAT shuttles: $10 round trip from Market Square (Krutch Park) or Old City for SEC games, or $30 per vehicle to park and ride from the Civic Coliseum.

Which nonstops fly into Knoxville for a game?

TYS has nonstops to 36 destinations as of October 2026. See our full list, including the seasonal routes, before you book.

Sources