Airtable MCP
A Model Context Protocol server that provides read and write access to Airtable databases. This server enables LLMs to inspect database schemas, then read and write records.
What is Airtable MCP?
Airtable MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to model context protocol server that provides read and write access to airtable databases. this server enables llms to inspect database schemas, then read and write records.
A Model Context Protocol server that provides read and write access to Airtable databases. This server enables LLMs to inspect database schemas, then read and write records.
This server falls under the Business Applications category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- list_records
- search_records
- list_bases
- list_tables
- describe_table
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y airtable-mcp-serverManual Installation
npx -y airtable-mcp-serverConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Airtable MCP
The Airtable MCP Server provides full read and write access to Airtable bases through the Model Context Protocol, allowing AI assistants like Claude to inspect database schemas, query and search records, create and update data, manage table structures, and add comments — all through natural language. It connects to the Airtable REST API using a personal access token, supports both stdio and HTTP transports, and exposes a comprehensive set of tools covering every common database operation. Product teams, operations managers, and developers use it to let AI assistants act as intelligent Airtable operators without requiring the user to navigate the Airtable UI.
Prerequisites
- An Airtable account with at least one Base
- An Airtable personal access token generated at airtable.com/create/tokens with scopes: schema.bases:read, data.records:read, and optionally data.records:write for write operations
- Node.js 18+ installed (for npx usage)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Cline
Create an Airtable personal access token
Visit airtable.com/create/tokens, click Create token, give it a name, and add the required scopes. For read-only access: schema.bases:read and data.records:read. For full read/write: also add data.records:write, schema.bases:write, and data.recordComments:write.
Test the server from the command line
Verify the package works by running it with your API key to confirm it starts without errors.
AIRTABLE_API_KEY=pat123.abc123 npx -y airtable-mcp-serverConfigure Claude Desktop
Add the server block to your Claude Desktop configuration file at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Windows).
Restart Claude Desktop
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop so it picks up the new MCP server configuration. A hammer icon in the chat interface confirms the tools are loaded.
Verify the connection by listing bases
Ask Claude to list your Airtable bases. The server will call list_bases and return all bases accessible to your personal access token.
Airtable MCP Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for the Airtable MCP Server using npx with a personal access token.
{
"mcpServers": {
"airtable": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "airtable-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"AIRTABLE_API_KEY": "pat123.abc123"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts to manage Airtable data through Claude once the MCP server is connected.
- "List all my Airtable bases and their tables"
- "Show me the schema of the Contacts table in my CRM base"
- "Find all records in the Projects table where Status is 'In Progress'"
- "Create a new record in the Tasks table with Name 'Write docs' and Due Date tomorrow"
- "Add a comment to record recXXXXXXXX saying 'Reviewed and approved'"Troubleshooting Airtable MCP
Authentication fails with 'AUTHENTICATION_REQUIRED' or 401 error
Personal access tokens use the format pat followed by a dot and a long string (e.g. pat123.abc123). Ensure you are not using a legacy Airtable API key (which starts with 'key'). Legacy API keys are no longer supported — generate a new personal access token at airtable.com/create/tokens.
list_bases returns an empty array even though bases exist
The personal access token must be granted explicit access to specific bases during token creation. Return to airtable.com/create/tokens, edit the token, and add the bases you want to access under 'Access'. Alternatively, grant access to 'All current and future bases in workspace'.
Write operations (create_record, update_records) return 403 Forbidden
The token was created with read-only scopes. Edit the token at airtable.com/create/tokens to add data.records:write scope. Also ensure the Airtable user account has edit permissions on the base being modified.
Frequently Asked Questions about Airtable MCP
What is Airtable MCP?
Airtable MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that model context protocol server that provides read and write access to airtable databases. this server enables llms to inspect database schemas, then read and write records. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Airtable MCP?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y airtable-mcp-server. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with Airtable MCP?
Airtable MCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Airtable MCP free to use?
Yes, Airtable MCP is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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