Hill Country getaway

Peek inside the $50 million renovation at this popular Hill Country resort

A newly renovated king guestroom at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country

Hyatt Regency Hill Country

If you've been looking for the perfect excuse to book a Hill Country escape, the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort has a few new reasons to look in its direction.

Located about two miles from SeaWorld San Antonio, the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort's extensive $50 million dollar renovations are now complete.

According to a release, in addition to updated luxury amenities in every guest room at the resort, visitors will find brand new wood floors in guest rooms, updated tech for guests to use during their stay, and a brand new emphasis on Texas artwork, featured inside the hotel lobby and guest rooms.

For the techies out there, guests can expect an LG 65-inch class 4K smart ultra high-definition TV in their room, in addition to marble countertops, tilework, toilets, vanity lighting and more in their bathrooms.

Another neat detail in most (keyword most, not all) of the renovated bathrooms at the Hyatt are walk-in showers. Some of the new Texas artwork featured at the Hyatt will include graphic sketches by a local Hill Country artist, and photos and artwork paying tribute to the Hyatt's historic significance as the location of the Rogers-Wiseman ranch.

The Hyatt has five restaurants onsite, including their main dinner spot, the Antler's Lodge, which also pays tribute to the Rogers-Wiseman ranch with its wild-game centric menu.

The resort is also famous for its 5-acre water park, featuring a lazy river (ideal for the upcoming hot San Antonio summers.) They've also got the Windflower Spa and a 27-hole championship golf course on the premises.

"As we celebrate the 30-year anniversary of our beautiful resort this year, we are thrilled to offer an enhanced product paired with the premier service and experiences our guests have come to know and love over the years," says Steven J. Smith, general manager of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort, via release. "We look forward to welcoming travelers, groups, and our local community to experience the updated Hyatt Regency Hill Country for an unforgettable getaway they will cherish for years to come."

hyatt regency hill country resort and spa vacation hill-country

Airport News

McKinney airport signs Avelo Airlines as its first passenger partner

Avelo Airlines

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McKinney National Airport has signed up its first airline to operate commercial flights: According to a release, the Collin County airport has forged an agreement with Avelo Airlines, the low-cost airline based in Houston. Avelo has signed a Use and Lease Agreement, meaning it will fly planes brimming with travelers out of the airport, which is expanding its service to accommodate passenger flights.

Operating under the code TKI, McKinney National Airport has served as a general aviation airport for more than 40 years but is now transitioning to provide commercial air service in support of the area's growing population.

McKinney city and airport leaders are constructing a four-gate terminal building, with the ability to expand to six gates, in support of airline service that is anticipated to launch at TKI in late 2026.

In March 2025, the airport was awarded $30 million by the McKinney Community Development Corporation for construction of the eastside airport infrastructure and passenger terminal. That work has already begun.

Avelo's five-year ULA, which includes an optional five-year extension, establishes the terms and conditions for Avelo and other prospective airlines, including use of:

Runway and taxiways
Aircraft parking and maintenance areas
Non-exclusive areas such as check-in counters, boarding gates, and flight displays
Exclusive areas, including designated office and administrative space

The agreement also sets the rates and charges for a carrier’s operation at TKI, to include a per-passenger use fee and aircraft fuel fees.

McKinney Mayor Bill Cox called the signing of Avelo an "important milestone," and Avelo Airlines founder and CEO Andrew Levy said that the company is excited to be the launch airline at TKI.

"We believe that our everyday low fares, convenient and reliable service, combined with an easy-to-use, small airport, is a combination the residents of McKinney and North Texas will enthusiastically embrace," Levy says. "As a proud Texas company, we are especially excited to plant our flag at TKI, just a few hours north of our home in Houston."

Avelo currently operates one flight out of the DFW area: direct flights from DFW Airport to New Haven, Connecticut, which it offers two times a week at amazingly cheap rates.

Avelo will announce a launch date and the nonstop destinations it will serve from TKI a few months prior to the opening of the commercial terminal. The current plan is to introduce commercial air service in late 2026.

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