The low density, high specific strength, and good creep properties make TiAl alloys being promising high-temperature structural materials in aerospace and automotive industries. However, the insufficient oxidation resistance limits their extensive practical applications . It is the intention of this review to illustrate the mechanism and development of sol-gel-based coatings, a surface modification approach for oxidation protection of TiAl alloys, but not to present a general review on the oxidation protection of TiAl alloys. The oxidation behavior and mechanism of TiAl alloys were addressed briefly. The discussion focused mainly on the sol-gel coatings preparation method and generation mechanism. Finally, the development trend of sol-gel-based coatings for high-temperature oxidation of TiAl alloys was prospected.