New Nonstop Routes to Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA)
Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), located in Bentonville, Arkansas, is expanding its route offerings with the addition of two new nonstop flights to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), courtesy of Delta Air Lines.
These new routes signify a strategic move by Delta to cater to the growing business market in the region, which is heavily influenced by the presence of Walmart’s global headquarters and the University of Arkansas in nearby Fayetteville. Both routes will be operated by Delta Connection affiliates, with Endeavor Air flying a 76-seat Bombardier CRJ-900 on the DTW-XNA route and SkyWest Airlines deploying a 70-seat Embraer 175 regional jet on the SLC-XNA route.
The DTW-XNA route will commence on November 11, 2024, with daily service, while the SLC-XNA route is slated to begin on February 13, 2025. These new routes technically mark a resumption of service for Delta, which last operated flights on these routes in June 2014 and June 2015, respectively.
This expansion aligns with Delta’s focus on enhancing connectivity and options for customers traveling to and from Bentonville’s growing business market through its Detroit and Salt Lake City hubs. The airline is hopeful that these new routes will support business travelers, despite business travel not yet recovering to pre-pandemic levels.
Delta is not the only airline serving Bentonville. Competitors American Airlines and United Airlines also offer flights to the city from various hubs. However, these new nonstop options are expected to increase travel to Salt Lake City and Detroit from XNA, as they now provide more convenient access to these destinations.
The travel market in Northwest Arkansas has historically responded positively to nonstop routes. Breeze Airways and Allegiant Air have seen significant increases in travelers to Tampa/St. Petersburg after introducing nonstop flights, while daily service to Phoenix from American Airlines has contributed to its ranking as XNA’s 8th busiest destination.
Delta’s move underscores its bid to position itself as “the business carrier of choice,” a goal reinforced by its president, Glen Hauenstein, who expressed optimism about business travel growth.
These new routes mark a significant step in enhancing airline services at Northwest Arkansas National Airport, which now boasts 24 nonstop destinations. The increased connectivity will likely have a positive impact on both business and leisure travel in the region.
