View source for Northwest Arkansas National Airport

{{pp|small=yes}}
{{short description|Airport in Highfill, Arkansas, USA}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox airport
| name              = Northwest Arkansas National Airport
| image             = Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (emblem).png
| image-width       = 250
| image2            = Fayetteville - S'dale XNA.jpg
| image2-width      = 250
| IATA              = XNA
| ICAO              = KXNA
| FAA               = XNA
| type              = Public
| owner             = Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority
| operator          = 
| city-served       = [[Fayetteville, Arkansas|Fayetteville]], [[Bentonville, Arkansas|Bentonville]], [[Springdale, Arkansas|Springdale]], [[Rogers, Arkansas|Rogers]]
| location          = 1 Airport Blvd, [[Bentonville, Arkansas]]
| elevation-f       = 1,288
| website           = {{URL|https://www.flyxna.com/}}
| coordinates       = {{coord|36|16|54|N|094|18|28|W|region:US-AR_scale:40000|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe          = yes
| mapframe-zoom     = 9
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| image_map         = KXNA Airport Diagram.svg
| image_mapsize     = 200
| image_map_caption = FAA airport diagram
| r1-number         = 16L/34R
| r1-length-f       = 8,801
| r1-surface        = [[Concrete]]
| r2-number         = 16R/34L
| r2-length-f       = 8,800
| r2-surface        = Concrete
| stat-year         = 2024
| stat1-header      = Aircraft operations  
| stat1-data        = 47,502
| stat2-header      = Based aircraft (2023)
| stat2-data        = 12
| stat3-header      = Passenger volume 
| stat3-data        = 2,293,352

| footnotes    = Source: [[Federal Aviation Administration]]<ref name="FAA">{{FAA-airport|ID=XNA|use=PU|own=PU|site=00975.01*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective April 17, 2025.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://flyxna.com/airport-traffic-stats|title=XNA Historical Traffic Reports 1998-2023|website=flyxna.com|access-date=January 17, 2025}}</ref>
}}
'''Northwest Arkansas National Airport''' {{airport codes|XNA|KXNA|XNA}} in [[Northwest Arkansas]]<ref name="FAA" /> is a public-use airport located in [[Benton County, Arkansas]], serving the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas region, {{convert|15|NM|lk=on}} northwest of [[Fayetteville, Arkansas|Fayetteville]]<ref name="FAA" /> and {{convert|10|NM}} northwest of [[Springdale, Arkansas|Springdale]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=36%B010%2753%22N+94%B08%2745%22W-XNA&MS=wls&DU=nm | title = Distance and heading from Springdale (36°10'53"N 94°08'45"W) to XNA (36°16'54"N 94°18'28"W) | publisher = Great Circle Mapper | access-date = July 28, 2012}}</ref>  Since its opening in 1998, XNA has become a vital transportation hub, reflecting the area's economic expansion and increasing travel demands. In early summer of 2025, XNA surpassed [[Clinton National Airport|Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport]] in [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] as the busiest airport by passenger volume in Arkansas.

XNA covers 2,680 acres (1,085 ha) of land and has two parallel 8,800 foot (2,682 m) runways.<ref name="FAA" />

XNA's operations benefit significantly from its proximity to the headquarters of major corporations, including [[Walmart]] in [[Bentonville, Arkansas|Bentonville]], [[Tyson Foods]] in [[Springdale, Arkansas|Springdale]], and [[J. B. Hunt|J.B. Hunt Transport Services]] in [[Lowell, Arkansas|Lowell]].  The airport is also frequently utilized by athletic teams from the [[University of Arkansas]] for away games and by Razorback opponents visiting Fayetteville.

XNA is included in the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) [[National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems]] for 2019–2023, in which it is [[FAA airport categories|categorized]] as a small-hub primary commercial service facility.<ref name="NPIAS Airports">{{cite web |title=NPIAS Report 2019-2023 Appendix A |url=https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/NPIAS-Report-2019-2023-Appendix-A.pdf |website=[[Federal Aviation Administration]] |access-date=May 11, 2020 |page=16 |date=October 3, 2018 }}</ref>

==History==
The establishment of XNA was driven by the need to accommodate the region's growing population and economic activities. Prior to XNA, Drake Field in Fayetteville was the primary airport, but its operational limitations prompted the search for a more capable facility. In 1990, the Northwest Arkansas Council, a private, non-profit organization, was formed with Alice L. Walton as its first chairperson. Under her leadership, the Council initiated efforts that led to the creation of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority, which included representatives from Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Springdale, and Benton and Washington counties. This collaborative approach culminated in the opening of XNA on November 1, 1998, featuring a single terminal and runway.

In 2023, the Arkansas General Assembly passed legislation allowing regional airport authorities to detach from municipalities without requiring annexation by another municipality. Consequently, on September 19, 2023, XNA initiated the process to detach from the city of Highfill, aiming for equitable regional benefit for all five cities and two counties.

In 2024, XNA set a record, surpassing 2 million passengers for the first time, with 2,293,352 passengers served.

===Expansion===
In 2007, airport officials announced the construction of a new concourse costing between $20 million and $25 million. The new facility, east of the upper concourse, has allowed the airport to increase its number of airplane parking positions from twelve to twenty. Building the new facility took over three years.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext-news/?nxd_id=264017 |title= XNA Opens New Concourse |publisher= KNWA |date= August 24, 2011 |access-date= October 4, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120403210557/http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext-news/?nxd_id=264017 |archive-date= April 3, 2012 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

The airport completed a ticket counter expansion in 2010. The airport has completed a $21 million expansion to the upper-level concourse that includes the state's first moving walkway. With the walkway, it is anticipated to take about three minutes to get from security to the last gate. The addition adds {{convert|51000|sqft|m2}} and twelve upper-level gates to the east side of the airport.<ref>[http://www.4029tv.com/news/24103389/detail.html "XNA Expands Terminal, Runway Facilities"]. ''4029tv.com''. June 30, 2010.</ref> The moving walkway, however, is projected to soon be scrapped. Airport officials announced that additional seating and a children's play area will be placed in its current location.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-22 |title=XNA Improvements Taking Shape |url=https://arkrealestate.com/xna-improvements-taking-shape/#:~:text=They%20will%20also%20be%20removing,year%20or%20early%20next%20year. |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Steve Fineberg & Associates |language=en-US}}</ref>

The airport was previously known as Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. It adopted the name Northwest Arkansas National Airport in December 2019. Airport officials attributed the change to perception, saying that the new name would help attract more airline service.<ref>{{cite web |title=Airport in northwest Arkansas to get new name |url=https://apnews.com/7c7b4c2cb8e6dc6e4fcd22eacef478ba |website=Associated Press |date=December 12, 2019}}</ref>
 
On September 23, 2021, it was announced that Board members took the first steps toward adding a second concourse. The board voted to have staff negotiate with Fentress Architects for conceptual drawings for the first phase of Concourse B. The design work will cost about $185,000. The new concourse would allow the airport to use its boarding gates more efficiently. The Board are contemplating bringing some gates on Concourse A back into use for certain aircraft sizes and redesigning others. Phase One would include an elevated walkway, a hold room for passengers and a covered walkway out to a ground-level loading area onto the aircraft. Construction of the project is estimated to cost roughly $35 million to $50 million. Longer range plans call for building out Concourse B to roughly match Concourse A, projected to begin construction in 2026 and completed in 2028.<ref>[https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2021/sep/23/northwest-arkansas-national-airport-officials/?news-arkansas-nwa "Northwest Arkansas National Airport officials seek concept drawings for first phase of a new concourse"]. ''nwaonline.com''. September 23, 2021.</ref>

In 2023, the airport began a Terminal Modernization Project designed to enhance passenger experience and accommodate growing demand. Key elements of this project include:

* Updated baggage claims with upgraded conveyor systems.
* New elevators, escalators, and stairwells to improve accessibility and increase vertical redundancy of passenger flow.
* Redesigned pick-up and drop-off areas, with additional traffic lanes for better flow.

Recognizing the need for upgraded infrastructure, the airport began construction of a new air traffic control tower in June 2024.  The new tower will replace the existing 57-foot structure, which was originally intended as a temporary solution when the airport opened in 1998.

The new tower will stand at 141 feet to the top of the cab, significantly improving visibility and operational efficiency for air traffic controllers.  The enhanced height and modern features of the new tower will enable XNA to better handle increasing air traffic volumes as the region continues to grow. The project also includes an additional air traffic control facility at the base of the tower.

In February 2025, Escape Lounges opened a 2,300 square foot facility in the airport's main concourse. XNA is the smallest airport in the United States to feature a branded lounge.

At present, excluding [[Robinson Maneuver Training Center]] and [[Little Rock Air Force Base]], two military facilities, XNA is the largest commercial/public/general aviation airport in terms of land area (2,680 acres, 4.2 sq.mi.) in the state of Arkansas.<ref name="FAA" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://skyvector.com/airports/United%20States/Arkansas|title=List of Airports in Arkansas From SkyVector|website=skyvector.com|accessdate= August 29, 2024}}</ref>

===Runway===
The original runway built in 1998 required complete reconstruction in 2011, following the discovery of [[alkali-silica reaction]] (ASR) in its [[Portland cement]] concrete. Since the runway was the only one at the airport, a temporary runway was necessary to maintain service during reconstruction. Stimulus funds of $9 million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|9|2009|r=1}}}} million in today's dollars) from the [[American Reinvestment and Recovery Act]] (ARRA) allowed XNA to accelerate the alternative runway construction project. Upon completion of the alternate runway in 2012, all aircraft operations were shifted to the new surface and demolition and replacement of the primary runway began.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Alternate Landing Surface Keeps Air Traffic Moving at Northwest Arkansas Regional |first= Robert |last= Nordstrom |magazine= Airport Improvement Magazine |issue= 2 |year= 2012 |url= http://www.airportimprovement.com/content/story.php?article=00361 |access-date= 2016-02-21 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150515212351/http://www.airportimprovement.com/content/story.php?article=00361 |archive-date= 2015-05-15 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

===Access Road===
Construction officially began on a four-lane interstate-standard access road on April 17, 2024. Managed by the [[Arkansas Department of Transportation]] (ArDOT), the project will be a four-lane highway, extending approximately 4 miles from the airport entrance at Highway 264 to Highway 612, also known as the Springdale Bypass. Once completed, the road will provide a much-needed connection to the airport, improving travel times and accessibility for passengers and businesses in the region.

The need for this access road has been discussed for more than two decades.  This project is expected to greatly improve safety, reducing the number of accidents caused by heavy traffic on narrow, rural routes leading to the airport.

The access road is scheduled for completion in 2027.

==Facilities==
[[File:XNA Airport Terminal.jpg|thumb|right|Terminal view]]
The airport covers 2,680 [[acre]]s (1,085 [[hectare|ha]]) at an elevation of 1,288 feet (393 m). It has two runways, 16R/34L and 16L/34R. 16L/34R is 8,801 feet long by 150 feet (2,683 x 46 m) wide and 16R/34L is 8,800 feet long by 150 feet (2,682 x 46 m) wide.<ref name="FAA" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://skyvector.com/airport/XNA/Northwest-Arkansas-Ntl-Airport|title=XNA airport data at skyvector.com|website=skyvector.com}} FAA data effective 4/17/2025.</ref>

In the year ending June 30, 2023, the airport had 46,510 aircraft operations, average 127 per day: 49% airline, 12% [[air taxi]], 25% military, and 14% [[general aviation]]. In June 2023, 12 aircraft were based at the airport: 3 single-engine, and 9 jet.<ref name="FAA" />

==Airlines and destinations==
===Passenger===
{{Airport destination list | 3rdcoltitle = Refs | 3rdcolunsortable=yes
<!-- --> 
| [[Allegiant Air]] | [[Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport|Destin/Fort Walton Beach]], [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport|Fort Lauderdale]], [[Jack Edwards Airport|Gulf Shores]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Allegiant Ties Record for Largest Expansion in Company History with 44 New Nonstop Routes, plus 3 New Cities|url=https://newsroom.allegiantair.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Allegiant-Ties-Record-for-Largest-Expansion-in-Company-History-with-44-New-Nonstop-Routes-plus-3-New-Cities/default.aspx|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref> [[Harry Reid International Airport|Las Vegas]], [[Nashville International Airport|Nashville]], [[Orlando Sanford International Airport|Orlando/Sanford]], [[Mesa Gateway Airport|Phoenix/Mesa]], [[St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport|St. Petersburg/Clearwater]] | <ref>{{cite web|title=Allegiant Interactive Route Map|url=https://www.allegiantair.com/interactive-routemap|access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref>
<!-- -->
|{{nowrap| [[American Airlines]]}} | [[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|Charlotte]], [[Dallas Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth]], [[Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport|Phoenix–Sky Harbor]] |
<!-- -->
| [[American Eagle (airline brand)|American Eagle]] | [[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|Charlotte]], [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago–O'Hare]], [[Dallas Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth]], [[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles]], [[Miami International Airport|Miami]], [[LaGuardia Airport|New York–LaGuardia]], [[Philadelphia International Airport|Philadelphia]],<ref name=phl>{{cite web|title=American announces new nonstop flights to Philadelphia out of XNA|url=https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/american-airlines-nonstop-flights-xna-philadelphia/527-181fcbcd-71d8-473e-a1c0-333441f2a1e3|date=August 25, 2024|access-date=August 25, 2024}}</ref> [[Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport|Phoenix–Sky Harbor]], [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport|Washington–National]] | <ref name="AmericanRoutes">{{cite web|title=Flight schedules and notifications|url=https://www.aa.com/travelInformation/flights/schedule|access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref>
<!-- -->
| [[Breeze Airways]] | [[Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport|New Orleans]], [[Pensacola International Airport|Pensacola]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Breeze Airways Expands Across the United States with New Routes to Fort Lauderdale, Salisbury, Akron-Canton, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Key West, Pensacola, and More Starting This Fall|url=https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/breeze-airways-expands-across-the-united-states-with-new-routes-to-fort-lauderdale-salisbury-akron-canton-daytona-beach-jacksonville-key-west-pensacola-and-more-starting-this-fall/|website=Travel and Tour World|date=May 7, 2025|access-date=May 7, 2025}}</ref> [[Tampa International Airport|Tampa]]<br /> '''Seasonal:''' [[Orlando International Airport|Orlando]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Breeze Airlines offers dozens of cheap options from 9 Florida airports. Where flights are going|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/lifestyle/travel/2025/02/06/breeze-airways-florida-airports-destinations-new-routes-cost/78251054007/|date=February 6, 2025|access-date=April 4, 2025}}</ref> |<ref name=breeze>{{cite web|title=Breeze Airways bringing new flights to XNA|url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2021/may/21/breeze-airways-bringing-new-flights-to-xna/?news-arkansas-nwa|date=May 21, 2021|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref>
<!-- -->
| {{nowrap|[[Delta Air Lines]]}} | [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta]] |
<!-- -->
| {{nowrap|[[Delta Connection]]}} | [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta]], [[Detroit Metropolitan Airport|Detroit]], [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport|Minneapolis/St. Paul]], [[LaGuardia Airport|New York–LaGuardia]], [[Salt Lake City International Airport|Salt Lake City]] |
<!-- -->
| [[Frontier Airlines]] | [[Denver International Airport|Denver]] |
<!-- -->
| [[United Airlines]] | [[Denver International Airport|Denver]] |
<!-- -->
| [[United Express]] | [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago–O'Hare]], [[Denver International Airport|Denver]], [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport|Houston–Intercontinental]] | <ref name="UnitedRoutes">{{cite web|title=Timetable|url=https://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps/travel/timetable/default.aspx|access-date=12 May 2018|archive-date=28 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128165254/https://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps/travel/timetable/default.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
<!-- --> 
}}

==Statistics==
===Top destinations===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%" width= align=
|+ '''Busiest domestic routes from XNA (September 2024 – August 2025)'''<ref>{{cite web| title=RITA – BTS – Transtats |url=https://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?pn=1&Airport=XNA&Airport_Name=Fayetteville,%20AR:%20Northwest%20Arkansas%20Regional&carrier=FACTS}}</ref>
|-
! Rank
! City
! Passengers
! Carriers
|-
| 1
| {{flagicon|Texas}}[[Dallas Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas]]
| 243,760
| American
|-
| 2
|{{flagicon|Georgia (U.S. state)}} [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta, Georgia]]
| 148,770
| Delta
|-
| 3
| {{flagicon|Illinois}} [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois]]
| 130,970
| American, United
|-
| 4
| {{flagicon|North Carolina}} [[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|Charlotte, North Carolina]]
| 125,420
| American
|-
| 5
| {{flagicon|Colorado}} [[Denver International Airport|Denver, Colorado]]
| 104,930
| Frontier, United
|-
| 6
| {{flagicon|Texas}} [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport|Houston–Intercontinental, Texas]]
| 74,590
| United
|-
| 7
| {{flagicon|New York (state)}} [[LaGuardia Airport|New York–LaGuardia]]
| 60,830
| American, Delta
|-
| 8
| {{flagicon|Arizona}} [[Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport|Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Arizona]]
| 49,740
| American
|-
| 9
| {{flagicon|California}} [[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles, California]]
| 34,670
| American
|-
| 10
| {{flagicon|Minnesota}} [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport|Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota]]
| 32,520
| Delta
|-
|}

===Annual traffic===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Annual passenger traffic at XNA<br />1999–present'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flyxna.com/about-us/air-traffic-statistics/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715043324/http://www.flyxna.com/about-us/air-traffic-statistics/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-07-15|title=Airport Traffic Statistics}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=XNL Airport Traffic Stats {{!}} Historical Reports {{!}} 1998-2021 Reports |url=https://d38t1cionx51tx.cloudfront.net/mfeaxbvrzvdzxrvxjdynitro7mnk?d=&e=pdf |access-date=5 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://flyxna.com/airport-traffic-stats|title=XNA Historical Traffic Reports 1998-2023|website=flyxna.com|access-date=January 31, 2024}}</ref>
! Year !! Passengers !! Year !! Passengers !! Year !! Passengers
|-
| 1999||653,022||2009||1,083,638||2019||1,846,374
|-
| 2000||725,175||2010||1,139,801||2020||721,107
|-
| 2001||735,822||2011||1,127,909||2021||1,234,328
|-
| 2002||786,948||2012||1,135,023||2022||1,682,351
|-
| 2003||892,489||2013||1,160,032||2023||1,982,866
|-
| 2004||1,020,146||2014||1,276,851||2024||'''2,293,352'''
|-
| 2005||1,168,858||2015||1,295,235||2025||
|-
| 2006||1,172,049||2016||1,396,738||2026||
|-
| 2007||1,200,122||2017||1,438,922||2027||
|-
| 2008||1,146,954||2018||1,574,610||2028||
|}
Note: In November and December 1998, the airport's first two months of operations, XNA served 53,565 passengers.

=== Airline market share ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%"
|+ Largest airlines at XNA<br />(February 2024 – January 2025)<ref>{{cite web| title=RITA – BTS – Transtats |url=https://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?pn=1&Airport=XNA&Airport_Name=Fayetteville,%20AR:%20Northwest%20Arkansas%20Regional&carrier=FACTS}}</ref>
|-
!Rank
!Airline
!Passengers
!Share
|-
!scope="row"| 1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Envoy Air]]
| 666,000
| 29.53%
|-
!scope="row"| 2
|[[SkyWest Airlines]]
| 287,000
| 12.73%
|-
!scope="row"| 3
|[[American Airlines]]
| 273,000
| 12.10%
|-
!scope="row"| 4
|[[Endeavor Air]]
| 255,000
| 11.29%
|-
!scope="row"| 5
|[[Allegiant Air]]
| 234,000
| 10.89%
|-
!scope="row"| –
|Others
| 541,000
| 23.97%
|}

==See also==
{{portal|Arkansas|Aviation}}
* [[List of airports in Arkansas]]
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121010040727/http://www.fly.arkansas.gov/Airports/FayettevilleSpringdale.htm Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA)] at the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics
* [http://msrmaps.com/map.aspx?t=1&s=12&lat=36.2816&lon=-94.3078&w=500&h=500&lp=---+None+--- Aerial image] from [[USGS]] ''[[The National Map]]''
* {{FAA-diagram|09274}}
* {{FAA-procedures|XNA}}
{{US-airport|XNA}}
{{AR-Airports|state=expanded}}
{{Bentonville, Arkansas}}
{{Fayetteville, Arkansas}}
{{Rogers, Arkansas}}
{{Springdale, Arkansas}}

[[Category:Airports in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Transportation in Benton County, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Benton County, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Bentonville, Arkansas]]<!--Not in Springdale, but the airport does serve Bentonville-->
[[Category:Fayetteville, Arkansas]]<!--Not in Springdale, but the airport does serve Fayetteville-->
[[Category:Rogers, Arkansas]]<!--Not in Springdale, but the airport does serve Rogers-->
[[Category:Springdale, Arkansas]]<!--Not in Springdale, but the airport does serve Springdale-->