The Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport’s impressive run on new air service takes a step forward next week when American Airlines makes its first trip to Philadelphia.
Philadelphia will become the 17th nonstop destination from the regional airport, providing Arkansas with its first direct flight to the City of Brotherly Love.
The once-a-day service begins Sept. 4.
The Embraer ERJ-175, which has 76 seats, will leave Philadelphia at 3:47 p.m. and it arrives at XNA at 5:55 p.m.
The flight to Philadelphia leaves XNA at 3:55 p.m. and arrives in Philly at 7:49 p.m.
Philadelphia is considered an excellent international gateway with about 40 nonstop flights a day to cities in Canada, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe.
Airlines have stepped up their service to XNA in 2019 in a big way. The improvements include XNA newcomer Frontier Airlines starting service to Denver in June, and Allegiant Air starting flights to Nashville that occurred throughout the summer. The Nashville flights will resume in February.
Allegiant Air plans to start trips to Phoenix/Mesa in November. It will be the 18th destination.
In addition to the Philadelphia service, American Airlines will add service to Miami in December. Miami will be destination No. 19.
American Airlines remains the dominate carrier at XNA, providing nonstop flights to Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare, Washington Reagan, Los Angeles, Charlotte and New York LaGuardia.
The new American Airlines flight to Philadelphia and Miami means the airline will be serving every one of its U.S. hubs from XNA except Phoenix.
Pictured at the top: At sunset, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge crosses the Delaware River into Philadelphia, with the skyline of Center City Philadelphia in the distance. Photo provided by Visit Philadelphia.
