Northwest Arkansas National Airport sets new travel record
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Passengers boarded planes nearly 118,000 times at Northwest Arkansas National Airport in May, a new one-month record.
The big picture: The airport topped 1 million for the first time in 2024 as area population growth drives demand for both business and leisure air travel.
What they're saying: "It speaks to the energy of the Northwest Arkansas region and the vital role XNA plays in keeping it connected. People are choosing to travel, and they're choosing to do it from their local airport," XNA CEO Aaron Burkes said in a news release.
- "It's also a clear reminder that continued planning and investment will be essential to keep up with this kind of demand."
State of play: A $36 million terminal renovation and air traffic control tower project is underway at the airport.
- More than $20 million was recently awarded by the state to help pay for the upgrades.
By the numbers: May's 117,821 enplanements surpassed the previous record of 109,923 set in October.
- More than 473,000 enplanements occurred at XNA during the first five months of the year, about 41% of last year's total.
What we're watching: Screenings through the TSA checkpoint so far in June are up nearly 16% over June 2024.