McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 20 kilometres south of downtown, served by major US carriers including American, Delta, United, and Southwest. Non-stop flights connect to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, and several other hubs. Getting from the airport to downtown takes about 25 minutes by car; there is no direct rail or bus link, so a taxi or rideshare is the practical option.
Knoxville is on Interstate 40, which connects it to Nashville (about three hours west) and Asheville, North Carolina (about 2.5 hours east). Interstate 75 runs north-south through the city, connecting to Lexington, Kentucky in the north and Chattanooga to the south. Driving is by far the most common way people arrive.
Amtrak does not serve Knoxville. Greyhound operates a station downtown, with connections to Nashville and other regional cities, but schedules are limited.