Passenger demand remained strong at Northwest Arkansas National Airport despite growing cost-related challenges to airlines worldwide.

XNA recorded 105,165 enplanements in April, up significantly from the 97,533 passengers who boarded flights during the same month in 2025.

Airlines are being challenged by higher fuel prices, and many of them are responding by increasing checked bags fees and cancelling unprofitable routes.

Even amid those pressures, upcoming schedules suggest XNA could be positioned for a strong summer travel season.

The airlines at XNA are offering passengers 5.6% more seats in May this year compared to May 2025, and they are expected to offer more seats in June (5.6%), July (9.1%) and August (7.1%) compared with the same months last year.

The biggest schedule increase at XNA comes from American Airlines, which has 16% more flights in June, July and August. Most of that increase is being dedicated to flying to Los Angeles, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth.

United Airlines plans a 9% increase at XNA this summer. Most of that increase is dedicated to expanded service to Denver, which will routinely have four nonstop flights a day from XNA.

The only airline pulling back at XNA this summer is Allegiant Air, the low-cost carrier that provides most of its service to leisure destinations. Allegiant’s schedule at XNA is down nearly 21%, driven primarily by reductions to flights serving Destin, Orlando/Sanford, Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg/Clearwater.