Northwest Arkansas National Airport surpassed 100,000 passengers in a month for just the sixth time in its history.
The March total of 100,768 passengers continues a trend of strong monthly statistics for the airport. The first 100,000-passenger month occurred in June 2023, followed by July, September, October and December of that year.
Airport administrators shared the monthly passenger numbers on Thursday.
In 2023, XNA recorded 1.14 million outbound passengers, with 227,667 boardings in the first three months. This year, the airport is ahead of that pace, with 251,070 boardings so far.
The strong March numbers come despite growing international concerns about travel to the United States. Factors include border enforcement and the country’s political climate. Axios reported that international travel to the U.S. “fell off a cliff” in March. Meanwhile, Conde Nast Traveler reported that Germany, France, Portugal, Denmark and other European countries have issued travel advisories regarding trips to the U.S., and those outcomes could have long-term consequences for the U.S. travel industry.
Yet, March was a standout month for XNA. In a typical year, only about 10% of the airport’s passengers are international.
Delta’s big month
What was most notable at XNA last month was busy Delta Air Lines, which saw bigger-than-usual numbers in a month in which all airlines benefit from spring break trips.
For just the second time in more than 26 years of operating at XNA, Delta surpassed 20,000 passengers. The airline boarded 20,393 travelers in March, just short of its record in October 2018, when it boarded 20,656.
That March boost could be because Delta has invested in new nonstop flights from XNA. A daily flight to Detroit first took off in November; a Salt Lake City flight started in February, giving the airline its first westbound route from XNA.
The majority of Delta’s passengers are on one of the airline’s six flights a day to Atlanta, but the airline also flies nonstop twice a day from XNA to Minneapolis/St. Paul and New York LaGuardia.
Allegiant’s new route
XNA will see service start to a new destination in about a month. Allegiant Air on May 22 starts offering twice-a-week flights to Gulf Shores in Alabama. It’s still possible to be on the first Thursday flight out and return three days later for $118 roundtrip.
The airport has six airlines flying to 26 destinations. In comparison, Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri has 14 nonstop destinations; the airlines serving Tulsa International Airport go to 22 destinations.
