By the Arkansas Delta Informer Staff

EL DORADO, Ark. – Feb. 2, 2026 – As South Arkansas ramps up multi-billion-dollar investments in the defense, forestry, and lithium industries, corporate denizens traveling to and from the region will no longer have to go to Little Rock, Texarkana, or Shreveport, La., to connect to the domestic and international flights at DFW.

Smyrna, Tenn.-based Contour Airlines recently announced new nonstop service from South Arkansas Regional Airport (ELD) in El Dorado to Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), beginning March 16, 2026. The new route enhances regional connectivity and provides South Arkansas travelers with easy access to one of the country’s largest and most connected hub airports, Contour officials said.

Along with nonstop access to DFW, the new service broadens travel options for passengers by offering convenient connections to Contour’s interline partners—Alaska, American, JetBlue, and United Airlines. Thanks to these partnerships, travelers can easily transfer beyond DFW to destinations across the U.S. and internationally.

“This new service highlights Contour’s commitment to connecting underserved communities with major markets,” said Ben Munson, president of Contour Airlines. “By launching nonstop flights from South Arkansas Regional Airport to Dallas–Fort Worth, we’re giving travelers a convenient, reliable option while maintaining the high level of comfort and service our customers expect.”

“I couldn’t be more pleased for the citizens of El Dorado to have Contour Airlines providing air service for South Arkansas,” El Dorado Mayor Paul Choate said in the statement. “Having dependable jet service will provide stability to our ability to reach any destination we desire. This will be an asset to our industrial community as well.”

The El Dorado–Dallas route will be operated using Contour’s 30-seat regional jet, “offering passengers a comfortable, premium flying experience,” company officials said. Customers will also enjoy extra legroom, complimentary snacks and drinks, and one free checked bag with every fare.

The new regional service offers daily morning and evening flights to DFW, along with early afternoon flights on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Contour will also run one mid-morning flight from DFA to the South Arkansas Regional Airport four times a week, plus two afternoon flights daily to El Dorado Airport.

The new flight service arrives as Fortune 100 corporate giants such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, RTX, and L3 Harris have all announced major economic development projects that will attract billions of dollars in new investment to the region. (See stories here.)

Contour officials did not respond to requests for comments for this story from the Arkansas Delta Informer. Besides new service to El Dorado and south Arkansas, Contour has ramped up regional nonstop service in recent months to key U.S. domestic hubs, including interline agreements with Alaska, American, JetBlue, and United Airlines.

Additionally, Contour began offering nonstop flights in the Caribbean market in late August, connecting Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Cyril E. King Airport (STT) in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, to Douglas–Charles Airport (DOM) in Dominica. 

Those new routes will offer the only non-stop jet service from Dominica to both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. From these points, passengers will be able to book onward connections to destinations worldwide.