Here is all the information that you need to know about the major airports in Arkansas to help you plan your visit.
As you may know, this blog is written by a mother daughter team who live in Arkansas. What you might not know is that the daughter, Emily, is also a flight attendant for a major airline.
She knows airports and has spent quite a bit of time in each of the Arkansas airports!
There are only 2 major airports in Arkansas. One is located in the central part of the state and the other in the northwest corner. There are a few smaller commercial airports as well.
The state is fairly easily accessed by air.
NOTE: We try to maintain our posts with the most up to date information available, but as you know information about flights and airports changes quickly!
Are There Any International Airports in Arkansas?
Arkansas is centrally located in the United States and would seem to be a perfect hub for travel. However, sadly, there are currently no international airports in Arkansas.
In fact, when my husband and I were getting Global Entry we had to drive to Memphis for our interview. Memphis happens to be the closest international airport to our home in Little Rock.
We would love for this to change!
There has been talk of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National airport becoming an international airport so we will see what happens.
What are the Two National airports in Arkansas?
There are two main airports in Arkansas, in Central Arkansas you will find the Bill and Hilary Clinton National Airport.
In Northwest Arkansas is the Northwest Arkansas National Airport.
About the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport
General Information:
This airport opened in 1917 and became an airport for commercial traffic in 1931.
One thing that is important to know is that you may frequently hear the Bill and Hillary Clinton airport called Adams Field by locals. Don’t let this throw you because they are the same airport!
In fact, the official name is Bill and Hilary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field. It was colloquially called Adams Field for many years before the names of the Clintons were added in 2012.
You may also hear it called Clinton airport or the Little Rock airport.
Location of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport:
This is the largest of the commercial service airports in Arkansas and is located in the capitol city of Little Rock, Arkansas. Little Rock is the seat of government in the state and is very centrally located.
The address of the airport is: 1 Airport Rd, Little Rock, AR, 72202.
The airport is on the east side of Little Rock and is just a short 10 minute drive from downtown Little Rock.
What is the IATA Code for the Clinton national Airport?
The IATA code for this airport is: LIT
How many passengers does the this airport serve per year?
The Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport serves about 2.2 million passengers per year.
What airlines fly from the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport?
Currently there are 6 airlines that fly from this airport.
- United Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Allegiant Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
How many Gates are at the Clinton National Airport?
This is a small airport!
There are only 12 gates and once you get through security everything is easy to find.
There is a section at the end of the terminal where the gates go around a circle. This section can get a little crowded, but typically there are plenty of places to sit at the gates.
About the Terminal
This is an airport all in one building with two levels. Both ticketing and check-in, baggage claim, and car rentals are on the ground level. This is where you will enter from the outside.
On the second floor you will find security, the gates, and the TSA and other offices.
Airport Terminal Map
Go here to see the airport terminal map to help you plan your time at this airport.
What are the nonstop flights from the Clinton National Airport?
We wish there were even more nonstop flights from the Clinton Airport!
But here are the current ones available in 2024. Remember that this list is subject to change.
- ATL: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl, Atlanta, GA | Delta | Southwest
- CLT: Charlotte Douglas Intl, Charlotte, NC | American
- DAL: Dallas Love Field, Dallas, TX | Southwest
- DCA: Reagan Washington Natl, VA | American
- DEN: Denver Intl, Denver, CO | United | Frontier | Southwest
- DFW: Dallas/Fort Worth Intl, Dallas, TX | American
- IAH: George Bush Intercontinental, Houston, TX | United
- LAS: Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl, Las Vegas, NV Southwest
- LAX:Los Angeles Intl, Los Angeles, CA Allegiant (Resumes May 29)
- LGA: LaGuardia Airport, New York | American | Delta
- MIA: Miami Intl, Miami, FL | American
- ORD: O’Hare Intl, Chicago, IL | American | United
- PIE:St. Pete-Clearwater Intl, Clearwater, FL | Allegiant (Resumes May 24)
- SFB:Orlando-Sanford Intl, Sanford, FL | Allegiant (Resumes May 30)
- STL: St. Louis Lambert Intl, St. Louis, MO | Southwest
- VPS:Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Fort Walton Beach, FL | Allegiant (Resumes May 31)
Parking at the Clinton National Airport:
Parking is pretty easy at the Clinton Airport.
You are allowed pull up out front for a short period of time to unload or pick up guests.
There is even some short term parking with pay meters and you will be asked to move to this area if you need to wait for longer than a few minutes to pick up an arrival.
There is short term parking which is uncovered, long term uncovered parking, and long term parking in a covered parking deck. All the parking has signage and is easy to find.
Car Rentals At the Clinton National Airport:
One of the things I like about this airport is that the car rental options are right inside the airport on the ground floor.
You do not have to take a shuttle to pick up a car. Most of the major car rental companies are represented here.
What are the Food options at the Clinton National Airport?
Food options are pretty limited at the airport. There is a Starbucks located both pre-security and post-security.
Also on the second level just before security is the Riverbend Bar.
After security, in addition to Starbucks, you will also find Burger King, Chick Fil A, and Chilis Restaurant…I told you the options are limited!
Does the Little Rock Airport have a lounge?
No, there are no lounges at this airport.
What about Check in and Security:
Check in is located on the ground floor of the airport. The various airlines are clearly marked and the check in process usually goes smoothly and quickly.
After check in you will go upstairs to the second level for security and to access your gate. You have the choice of stairs, an escalator, or an elevator.
The good thing is that the airport is small and you rarely have long to wait to get through security. The employees are typically pretty pleasant.
Review of the Clinton National Airport/Adams Field:
This is my home airport so I know it well. I like that it is small and easy to navigate.
Parking is super simple and I have never had to park very far away from the terminal. This makes it easy to get your bags to the check-in line without a lot of struggle.
Food options could definitely be better, but this isn’t an airport that most people linger in for long periods of time. The airports in Arkansas don’t tend to be a mid-point for most travelers.
They are typically either a beginning point or a destination. So you aren’t likely to be hanging around in the airport.
A few years ago the airport was looking a little tired and dingy. There has been some work done to freshen things up a bit and, in my opinion, it does look nicer.
Northwest Arkansas National Airport
About Northwest Arkansas National Airport:
The second of the large airports in Arkansas is the Northwest Arkansas National Airport. Northwest Arkansas National Airport was opened for commercial passenger business on November 1, 1998.
It is a much newer airport than the previously discussed Clinton Airport/Adams Field.
It was opened in large part due to the influence of the Wal-Mart corporation and has been a great addition to the airports in Arkansas.
NOTE: This airport is currently undergoing a MAJOR expansion which is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2025. I will update this post as I learn about new developments and additions to the airport due to the ongoing construction.
Location of the Northwest Arkansas National Airport:
The airport is within proximity to all the major cities in Northwest Arkansas but far enough away to not have a detrimental impact on the growing population of this area of the state.
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is about 35 minutes from Fayetteville, Arkansas and about 22 minutes from Bentonville, Arkansas.
It is not as close to a major downtown area as the Clinton Airport but it has plenty of room for expansion.
The address of this airport is: 1 Airport Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72712
This area of Arkansas is growing quickly. I suspect that this airport surpass the Clinton Airport in traffic in the upcoming years.
IATA Code for Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport:
The IATA code for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is XNA.
How Many Passengers Does this Airport serve each year?
This airport serves 1.8 million passengers per year.
What Airlines Fly From the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport?
- United Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Allegiant Air
- Frontier Airlines
- Breeze Airways
- Rumor has it that XNA is trying to attract Southwest Airlines – we will see what happens!
How many Gates are at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport?
There are currently 15 gates at this airport, but the airport is undergoing a major expansion that should add at least 10 more gates.
About the Terminal At Northwest Regional Airport and a link to the airport map
There are lots of changes happening at XNA as they are undergoing a big multi-million dollar expansion and renovation project.
Here is the terminal map to help you plan your time at this airport.
What are the Direct Flights From the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport?
Remember that this information is subject to change. There are currently 22 direct flights.
Due to the influence of Walmart this airport has more direct flights to choose from than the Clinton Airport.
- ATL:Â Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl, Atlanta, GA |Â DeltaÂ
- AZA: Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport, Phoenix, AZ | Allegiant
- BNA: Nashville Intl, Nashville, TN | Allegiant
- CLT: Charlotte Douglass Intl, Charlotte, NC | American
- DCA: Reagan Washington Natl, VA | American
- DEN: Denver Intl, Denver, CO | United | Frontier | United
- DFW: Dallas/Fort Worth Intl, Dallas, TXÂ |Â American
- FLL: Fort Lauderdale Intl, Fort Lauderdale, FL | Allegiant
- IAH: George Bush Intercontinental, Houston, TX | United
- LAS: Las Vegas McCarran Intl, Las Vegas, NV | Frontier | Allegiant
- LAX: Los Angeles Intl Airport, Los Angeles, CA | American | Allegiant
- LGA: LaGuardia Airport, New York City, NY | American | Delta
- MCO: Orlando Intl, Orlando, Fl | Frontier
- MIA: Miami Intl, Miami, FL | American
- MSP: Minneapolis St. Paul Intl, Minneapolis, MN | Delta
- MSY: Louis Armstrong intl, New Orleans, LA | Breeze Airways
- ORD: O’Hare Intl, Chicago, IL | American | UnitedÂ
- PHX: Phoenix Sky Harbor
- PIE: St. Pete Clearwater Intl, St. Petersburg, Fl | Allegiant
- SFB:Orlando-Sanford Intl, Sanford, FL | Allegiant
- TPA: Tampa Intl, Tampa, FL | Breeze Airways
- VPS: Destin/Ft. Walton Beach Airport, Destin, FL | Allegiant
Parking at the Northwest Arkansas national Airport:
This is a small airport and none of the parking is very far away from the terminal. The economy parking is the best deal as far as cost and you won’t have too far to walk.
The first 30 minutes are free at the short term lot which might be a good option if you are picking someone up. The short term parking is only about 225 feet away from the terminal.
There are also options for short and long term parking, a parking deck, and even valet parking.
The expansion will be adding even more parking in the parking deck.
Car rentals at the northwest arkansas national airport:
They have most of the major car rental places at the Northwest Arkansas National Airport.
I like the fact that they are inside the airport and very near the baggage claim.
What are the food options at the Northwest Arkansas national Airport?
There are not many food options at this airport.
After security there is a robot coffee shop: Bionics Coffee which offers Onyx coffee. There is also Core Brewing Company as well as Auntie Annes, Say Si Bon Gourmet Market, Einstein Bros Bagels, and Smokewood American Grill.
The food options will probably increase as the airport expansion is complete.
What about check-in and security
Because this is a small airport check-in, ticketing, and security usually go quickly.
Although there have been a couple of times when it seems as if they are understaffed and the lines will move more slowly than they should.
Review of the northwest arkansas national airport
I really like this airport. In my opinion it is more pleasant than the Clinton Airport.
Maybe this sounds odd, but there is a sense of calm at XNA. Perhaps because this airport is quite spacious and quite bright.
Currently the construction is making things a little more complicated. I am very interested to see how it feels when the updates are complete.
I hope that you find this post about the airports in Arkansas helpful and informative! Enjoy your visit to our gorgeous state!
If you are flying into Little Rock here is a list of great things to do in the capitol city.
If you are flying into Northwest Arkansas here is a list of amazing things to do in the charming town of Bentonville. You will definitely want to visit Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art or maybe go on a hike in the Ozark Mountains.
If there is anything you think we should add about these Arkansas airports let us know.
Thanks for stopping by!
