Two airlines expanded their nonstop flights at Northwest Arkansas National Airport this week, taking off for Los Angeles and Orlando.
American Airlines is headed again to Los Angeles International Airport, an airport with a history of an American nonstop route to XNA. It was suspended throughout much of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roundtrip fares on the American nonstop as of this morning were generally selling for between $350 and $380, depending on the travel days.
Frontier to Orlando
Meanwhile, Frontier Airlines on Monday took off from XNA for the first time for Orlando International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the U.S. It’s considered the best airport for those visiting Walt Disney World as it’s a 20-minute drive to the theme park.
The low-cost carrier’s flights will depart on Mondays and Fridays, providing Northwest Arkansas travelers with nonstop flights to the primary Orlando airport for the first time in more than a decade. Delta Air Lines offered nonstop flights to Orlando, but that service ceased years ago.
Frontier does have competition to Orlando as Allegiant Air flies from XNA to the smaller Orlando Sanford International Airport. It’s a 45-minute drive from Disney.
The Frontier flight to Orlando this morning was selling for as little as $78 roundtrip in early December, but its price throughout much of January and February is $188.
Frontier started service from XNA in June 2019 with three flights a week to Denver. It added XNA-to-Las-Vegas trips in August.
Rapid Low-Cost Expansion
Frontier’s Orlando service is the latest new addition by low-cost carriers at XNA. Others include those being sold by Breeze Airways, which started nonstop flights this summer to New Orleans, San Antonio and Tampa.
Allegiant Air this year added service to Austin, St. Pete/Clearwater and Fort Lauderdale. Later this month, it’ll start flghts to Houston Hobby and Punta Gorda in Florida.
