Northwest Arkansas travelers pay extra to fly
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Yes, it costs more to fly from XNA.
Why it matters: Northwest Arkansas travelers often pay a premium for the convenience of departing from Northwest Arkansas National Airport instead of driving to larger airports with more competition.
By the numbers: XNA's average domestic itinerary fare was $527.91 in Q1 2026, compared with an average of $428.50 at the nation's 100 busiest airports during the first quarter, according to an Axios analysis of Bureau of Transportation Statistics data.
- Yes, but: After adjusting for inflation, XNA's average fare has fallen about 21% since Q1 2019.
What they're saying: XNA compares itself with peer airports rather than the nation's largest hubs, spokesperson Olivia Tyler told Axios.
- Tyler pointed to Birmingham, Alabama ($552), and Madison, Wisconsin ($527), saying both have strong business-travel profiles similar to XNA's.
- Business travelers often book closer to departure and have less flexibility, contributing to higher average fares, she said.
Some airlines provide lower-cost leisure options that help offset business demand, Tyler noted.
Between the lines: Northwest Arkansas has relatively limited low-cost service compared with larger markets, according to airline analyst Brett Snyder, founder of Cranky Flier.
- Travelers seeking cheaper flights often look to Kansas City, Springfield or Tulsa.
Zoom out: The average fare in Q1 was $686 at Fort Smith Regional Airport (about 80 miles from XNA), $506 at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (about 200 miles), $495 at Springfield-Branson National Airport (about 120 miles), and $486 at Tulsa International Airport (about 100 miles).
- The average fare at Kansas City International Airport (about 240 miles) was roughly $50 below XNA's.
The big picture: Fares began climbing in March after relatively mild prices in January and February, Snyder told Axios. That increase continued into the second quarter, he said.
The latest: Airlines are navigating higher fuel costs tied to the war in Iran. Jet-fuel prices doubled after the war began, and fares have not fallen much even as fuel prices eased last month, per the Wall Street Journal. Oil prices remain volatile.
The fine print: The Bureau of Transportation Statistics' itinerary fare measure includes round trips and one-way tickets when no return trip is purchased.
- It includes required airline charges and taxes and excludes optional charges for baggage, seat selection and upgrades.
- The bureau expanded its ticket sample from 10% to 40% beginning July 1, 2025, meaning older fare data was collected differently.
The bottom line: Demand ultimately determines what passengers pay, Snyder said. If demand weakens, airlines can either cut prices or reduce capacity to keep fares elevated.
- "Fares aren't going to come down unless people stop buying tickets. Demand is very strong," he said.