XNA exceeds 100K enplanements for first time in one month

Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Highfill has eclipsed 100,000 enplanements for the first time in one month. Enplanements, or passengers flying out, rose by 11.1% to 108,777 in June from 97,842 in the same month last year.

XNA officials previously said they expected to exceed that mark in June. They also expected to exceed 100,000 enplanements in July and October. May enplanements narrowly missed the mark at 99,357.

“XNA is pleased to see an unprecedented number of passengers traveling through the airport and continues to strive toward our goal of providing top-tier service and amenities in order to accommodate current and future growth,” according to a Thursday (July 11) press release.

The airport also noted the record number of passengers that have gone through the TSA security checkpoint.

“XNA also had several record-breaking TSA throughput numbers in June, with six out of the airport’s 10 busiest days in its history occurring that month,” the release shows. “The airport’s single busiest day of all time was June 7, 2024, with 5,428 people passing through the TSA security checkpoint.” In June, enplanements comprised 90.6% of TSA throughput.

From January to June, enplanements rose by 11% to 525,325 from 473,154 in the same period last year. In 2023, enplanements rose to a record of 991,489, exceeding the previous high of 922,533 in 2019.

The largest commercial airport in Arkansas has yet to report its June numbers. From January to May, enplanements at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock increased by 6.2% to 445,163 from 418,800 in the same period in 2023. From January to June, enplanements at Fort Smith Regional Airport, the third-largest commercial airport in the state, rose by 6% to 29,870 from 28,162 in the same period last year.