Northwest Arkansas National Airport (IATA: XNA, ICAO: KXNA, FAA LID: XNA) is a public airport in Benton County, Arkansas. It serves the growing Northwest Arkansas area, located 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) northwest of Fayetteville and 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) northwest of Springdale. Opened in 1998, XNA has become an important transportation center, showing the region’s economic growth and increased travel needs. In early summer 2025, XNA became the busiest airport in Arkansas by passenger numbers, surpassing Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock.

XNA covers 2,680 acres (1,085 ha) of land and has two runways that are 8,800 feet (2,682 m) long. The airport benefits from its location near major company headquarters, including Walmart in Bentonville, Tyson Foods in Springdale, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services in Lowell. It is also used often by athletic teams from the University of Arkansas for away games and by visiting teams from Razorback opponents in Fayetteville.

XNA is part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019–2023. In this plan, it is classified as a small-hub primary commercial service facility.

History

XNA was created because the region needed a bigger airport to support its growing population and businesses. Before XNA, Drake Field in Fayetteville was the main airport, but it had limits that made it hard to meet increasing needs. In 1990, the Northwest Arkansas Council, a private group, was formed with Alice L. Walton as its first leader. She helped create the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority, which included officials from several nearby cities and counties. This teamwork led to XNA opening on November 1, 1998, with one terminal and one runway.

In 2023, the Arkansas General Assembly passed a law that allows regional airport authorities to separate from cities without needing another city to take them in. Because of this, XNA started the process to leave the city of Highfill in September 2023. The goal was to ensure fair benefits for all five cities and two counties in the region.

In 2025, XNA set a record for the most passengers it served, totaling 2,524,256 people, which is a 10% increase from 2024.

In 2007, airport officials announced plans to build a new concourse that would cost between $20 million and $25 million. This new section, located east of the existing concourse, increased the number of airplane parking spots from 12 to 20. Construction took more than three years to complete.

In 2010, the airport expanded its ticket counters. Later, a $21 million project added a new upper-level concourse, including Arkansas’s first moving walkway. This walkway is expected to reduce travel time from security to the last gate to about three minutes. The expansion added 51,000 square feet of space and 12 new gates. However, the moving walkway may be removed in the future. Officials plan to replace it with additional seating and a children’s play area.

The airport was previously called Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. In December 2019, it changed its name to Northwest Arkansas National Airport. Officials said the new name would help attract more airline services.

On September 23, 2021, the airport board began planning for a second concourse. They hired Fentress Architects to design the first phase of Concourse B. The design work cost about $185,000. The new concourse would help use boarding gates more efficiently. The board is also considering reusing some gates on Concourse A for certain aircraft sizes. Phase One includes an elevated walkway, a passenger waiting area, and a covered path to the aircraft. The project is expected to cost between $35 million and $50 million. Long-term plans include expanding Concourse B to match Concourse A, with construction starting in 2026 and finishing in 2028.

In 2023, XNA began a Terminal Modernization Project to improve the passenger experience and meet growing demand.

Recognizing the need for better infrastructure, the airport started building a new air traffic control tower in June 2024. The old tower, which was 57 feet tall, was a temporary structure from when the airport opened in 1998. The new tower will be 141 feet tall, improving visibility and efficiency for air traffic controllers. It will also include an air traffic control facility at its base. The tower will help XNA handle more air traffic as the region grows.

In February 2025, Escape Lounges opened a 2,300-square-foot facility in the airport’s main concourse. XNA is the smallest airport in the United States with a branded lounge.

Currently, excluding two military facilities—Robinson Maneuver Training Center and Little Rock Air Force Base—XNA is the largest commercial, public, and general aviation airport in Arkansas by land area (2,680 acres, or 4.2 square miles).

The original runway built in 1998 needed full reconstruction in 2011 after problems with its concrete were found. Since the runway was the only one at the airport, a temporary runway was needed to keep operations running during repairs. Funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) helped pay for the temporary runway. After the new runway was completed in 2012, all operations moved there, and work began to replace the old runway.

On April 17, 2024, construction started on a four-lane highway to connect the airport to nearby roads. Managed by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT), the road will extend about 4 miles from Highway 264 to Highway 612, also known as the Springdale Bypass. Once finished, the road will improve travel times and make it easier for passengers and businesses to reach the airport.

The need for this road has been discussed for over 20 years. The project is expected to improve safety by reducing accidents on narrow, rural roads near the airport. The road is scheduled to be completed in 2027.

Facilities

The airport spans 2,680 acres (1,085 hectares) and is located at an elevation of 1,288 feet (393 meters). It has two runways: 16R/34L and 16L/34R. Runway 16L/34R measures 8,801 feet in length and 150 feet in width (2,683 meters by 46 meters). Runway 16R/34L measures 8,800 feet in length and 150 feet in width (2,682 meters by 46 meters).

Statistics

During its first two months of operation in November and December 1998, XNA handled 53,565 passengers.