5 places to fly cheap for the weekend

The Northwest Arkansas National Airport has been busy adding a slew of direct flights over the past few years.

The intrigue: Several of those new flights are on budget airlines, so you can spend less money getting to your destination and have more flexibility experiencing another city.

New Orleans

In just 1.5 hours, you can be drinking a hurricane and listening to live jazz.

• Fly out of XNA via Breeze Airways on a Friday and come back Monday for around $90-$140 roundtrip.

Denver

We won't tell the Ozark Mountains if you have an occasional fling with the Rockies.

• Frontier Airlines offers flights every day of the week but Wednesdays. Prices vary but run as low as $178 roundtrip and you can be there in a little over two hours.
• Bonus: Check out Axios Denver to get the lay of the land.

Destin, Florida

For all of Arkansas’ good qualities, we’re landlocked. Luckily, you can be at the beach in about an hour and 45 minutes.

• Allegiant Air has flights every day of the week except for Tuesdays, so you have plenty of options — many for around $150 roundtrip.

Nashville

Explore Music City and enjoy a hot chicken sandwich, or find the best desserts in the city with Axios Nashville's guide.

• Skip the eight-hour drive and be there in about an hour and 20 minutes.
• You can leave on a Thursday and come back on a Sunday for around $115 roundtrip with Allegiant.

Las Vegas

For those who need a serious getaway, you can get out west in three hours.

• Both Allegiant and Frontier offer direct flights, with some running under $200.