Breeze Airways is expanding its nonstop flights from Northwest Arkansas National Airport, creating competition for a low-cost carrier already flying to the Florida Panhandle.
Breeze announced today that its trips to Pensacola start Sept. 4, departing from XNA every Thursday and Sunday. The Breeze website shows some fares are $49 each way.
The new flights increase competition with Allegiant Air for Northwest Arkansas travelers who want to go to Florida or nearby Alabama Gulf Shores this summer without the hassle of a layover somewhere.
It’s the fourth nonstop destination for Breeze from XNA. In the fall, the airline will have flights going to New Orleans and then to Florida airports in Orlando, Tampa and Pensacola.
Allegiant, meanwhile, offers nonstop service from XNA to St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Sanford/Orlando and Destin in Florida. On May 22, it’ll add a twice-a-week nonstop to an airport in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Beach access
Three airports served from XNA (Gulf Shores, Destin and Pensacola) provide terrific access to the beaches in Florida and Alabama. Starting from the west at the Gulf Shores airport, it’s about 40 miles to the airport in Pensacola. It’s another 60 miles east to get to Destin’s airport.
New data provided by an XNA consultant this month shows Destin/Fort Walton Beach is the 14th most common destination for people who fly from the XNA market area, a region that includes all or portions of nine counties in Arkansas, four in southern Missouri and three in Oklahoma.
The report shows 78 people a day make the trip to Destin from that geographic area. Twelve more people go to Pensacola each day. Allegiant dominates, too, capturing about 72 of those 90 travelers.
Gulf Shores when Allegiant starts those flights later this month will be XNA’s 26th nonstop destination. Pensacola will be No. 27. Pensacola will be the third new route at XNA to start this year. Delta Air Lines began service to Salt Lake City in February.
Needing SFO
The largest unserved destination from the geographic area closest to XNA is San Francisco. Even without nonstop service going there from XNA, Tulsa or Springfield, Mo., the San Francisco area still sees about 74 people a day fly there via connecting airports, ranking it No. 16 on the busiest destinations list.
United Airlines had nonstop service from XNA to SFO, but it ended in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
