Northwest Arkansas National Airport through the years

• 1990: Northwest Arkansas Council formed

• September 1990: Field hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation Committee

• Nov. 26, 1990: First meeting of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority Board of Directors at Springdale Holiday Inn

• 1991: Study done on feasibility of creating a regional airport.

• 1992: Site selection conducted with the recommendation to proceed with the “Centerton 2” site, an area in unincorporated Benton County.

• 1993: Airport Master Plan finalized and financial arrangements made

• 1994: Environmental impact statement completed concluding “Centerton 2” site was preferred; land acquisition begins

• Sept. 27, 1994: U.S. Sens. Dale Bumpers and David Pryor issue news release announcing FAA grant for $9 million to the Airport Authority to acquire land for the new airport.

• May 18, 1995: FAA announces $4.4 million grant for construction.

• Aug. 10, 1995: Groundbreaking for Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport

• Oct. 17, 1996: Kelly Johnson named first airport manager.

• May 16, 1997: FAA announces the airport’s three-letter identifier will be XNA.

• July 17, 1997: Aviation Constructors awarded $12.1 million terminal construction contract.

• Aug. 28, 1997: FAA awards a final grant of $7 million for the airport.

• March 11, 1998: Agreement reached with American Eagle to move from Drake Field to regional airport.

• Nov. 1, 1998: Airport opens for business with American Eagle flights to and from XNA, Dallas and Chicago, bringing to an end an eight-year process of planning and construction.

• Nov. 6, 1998: President Bill Clinton officially dedicated airport with Air Force One in the background and a crowd of about 8,000 people looking on.

• Aug. 12, 1999: Terminal building named after Alice Walton.

• July 24, 2001: Board hears a presentation from its planning and architectural consultants on expansion of the airport and the terminal.

• April 5, 2002: Master Plan update calls for improvements totaling $115 million over the next 20 years. The airport’s share of the improvements would be $40.8 million.

• December 5, 2002: Staff recommend expansion of the terminal.

• May 22, 2007: Design of the second-level concourse approved.

• Feb. 17, 2010: Construction of second-level concourse begins.

• Dec. 15, 2010: Construction of taxiway/alternate landing surface completed.

• Aug. 24, 2011: New concourse opens.

• Sept. 26, 2012: FAA awards $19.5 million for the runway renovation project.

• March 16, 2016: Construction of a four-level parking deck approved, $33.4 million.

• June 20, 2018: Hight Jackson selected for the Terminal Renovation and Improvement Program.

• August 2018: Parking deck completed and opened.

• Sept. 27, 2018: Aaron Burkes selected as CEO; Kelly Johnson named Chief Operating Officer.

• Dec. 11, 2019: Name changed to Northwest Arkansas National Airport.

• April 12, 2023: Act 769 passed through the state legislature, allowing a regional airport to detach from a city.

• July 31, 2023: The deannexation law takes effect.

• Sept. 19, 2023: Northwest Arkansas National Airport officials vote to begin detaching from Highfill.

(File Photo/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Bob Coleman) President Bill Clinton speaks Nov. 6, 1998, in front of Air Force One during the dedication ceremony at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport.