Editor’s note: This story is a component of The Compass Report. The quarterly Compass Report is managed by The City Wire, and sponsored by Arvest Bank in the Fort Smith area. Supporting sponsors of The Compass Report are Cox Communications and the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Airline travel remains popular in Northwest Arkansas and the Fort Smith area, with enplanements for the first two months of 2015 up 6.89% and 2.87%, respectively, at the two commercial airports.
The activity is not a surprise considering the trend in overall U.S. travel and tourism spending. The federal Bureau of Economic Analysis reported March 18 that real spending on travel and tourism rose at an annual rate of 4.5% in the fourth quarter of 2014, after rising 3.4% in the third quarter. Leading contributors to the rise was air travel and recreation and entertainment, according to the BEA report.
Travel gains are likely to continue at the two airports. Airlines for America, the trade association for most of the major airlines, predicts Spring 2015 travel will rise to its highest mark in seven years. The group says approximately 134.8 million passengers – 2.2 million per day – are expected to fly on U.S. airlines during March and April compared to 132.2 million passengers in 2014, a 2% per day increase.
“A4A attributes the increase in spring air travel to rising U.S. employment and personal incomes, an improving economy, the highest consumer sentiment in a decade and the continued affordability of air travel, which remains one of the best bargains for consumers,” John Heimlich, A4A vice president and chief economist, said in a statement. “To meet the extra demand, airlines are adding seats to the marketplace, in part by deploying new and larger aircraft on many routes.”
XNA, FORT SMITH TRAVEL
Enplanements at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) totaled 88,139 for the first two months of 2015, up 6.89% compared to the same period in 2014. XNA ended 2014 with 640,537 enplanements, up 10.15% over 2013, and more than the record of 598,886 enplanements in 2007. The 2014 gain also marked the third consecutive year of increased traffic at the airport.
XNA had 43,708 enplanements in February, up 6.93% compared to February 2014.
The airport is served by five airlines that provide connections to 10 U.S. cities. XNA’s first full year of traffic was 1999, and the airport posted eight consecutive years of enplanement gains before seeing a decline in 2008.
Enplanements at the Fort Smith Regional Airport total 13,409 for the first two months of 2015, up 2.87% compared to the same period in 2014. Enplanements at Fort Smith totaled 92,869 in 2014, up 9.87% compared to 2013.
February enplanements at Fort Smith totaled 6,489, up 4.45% over February 2014. The airport offers flights to Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth through Delta and American Airlines.
The Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock posted enplanements of 130,598 for the first two months of 2015, down 8.74% compared to the same period in 2015. The airport was the only one of Arkansas’ largest commercial airports to not post an enplanement increase in 2014. Enplanements in 2014 totaled 1.038 million, down 4.32% compared to 2013.
February enplanements in Little Rock totaled 61,945, down 10.82% compared to February 2014.
The most recent federal data – U.S. Department of Transportation – show 59.903 million enplanements in the top 100 U.S. airports between February and November 2014, up 3.24% compared to the same period in 2013.
ENPLANEMENT HISTORY (Fort Smith Regional Airport, since 2000)
2014: 92,869
2013: 84,520
2012: 86,653
2011: 86,234
2010: 86,129
2009: 78,432
2008: 87,030
2007: 99,127
2006: 94,717
2005: 102,607
2004: 92,928
2003: 90,493
2002: 87,944
2001: 95,419
2000: 104,182
ENPLANEMENT HISTORY (Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, since 2000)
2014: 640,537
2013: 581,487
2012: 565,045
2011: 562,747
2010: 570,625
2009: 540,918
2008: 571,845
2007: 598,886
2006: 586,320
2005: 583,940
2004: 511,714
2003: 448,228
2002: 400,063
2001: 374,122
2000: 367,157