Allegiant Air is set to expand its domestic footprint with the addition of five new routes, each of which is unserved by any other airline. Although the Las Vegas-based carrier announced the new routes in late May, it officially filed the schedules over the weekend, according to Cirium data. The first of the routes will begin flying later this summer, with service ramping up into the fall.
Here's a breakdown of the upcoming launches:
- August 29: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to South Bend International Airport (SBN), Indiana
- September 4: McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), near Knoxville, Tennessee, to Memphis International Airport (MEM)
- October 2: Gulf Shores International Airport (GUF), Alabama, to Appleton International Airport (ATW), Wisconsin
- October 3: GUF to Des Moines International Airport (DSM), and TYS to Key West International Airport (EYW)
Unlike the more conventional routes favored by major U.S. carriers, these new additions reflect Allegiant¡¯s distinctive approach. The airline¡¯s ultra-low-cost, point-to-point model is designed to link smaller cities directly with in-demand vacation destinations, bypassing traditional hubs altogether.
This round of expansion notably boosts access to leisure spots such as the Florida Keys and Alabama¡¯s Gulf Coast, while strengthening the airline¡¯s presence in the Smoky Mountains region.
According to The Points Guy, Allegiant already has a notable presence in several of the cities seeing new service. For example, the airline is currently the sole commercial operator at Alabama¡¯s Gulf Shores International Airport (GUF). With eight destinations soon to be served from GUF, the airport is proving to be a key outpost in Allegiant¡¯s expanding network.
At the same time, Allegiant maintains operational bases in Appleton, Des Moines, Fort Lauderdale and Knoxville¡ªcities that are already integrated into the airline¡¯s network. This existing presence should mean that the airline can more readily promote and drive demand for the new routes, thanks to an established customer base in each market.
To encourage early interest, Allegiant is offering introductory fares as low as $39 one-way for the TYS-MEM route and $49 for the TYS-EYW service. Other new flights will start at $59 each way.
This expansion includes a rare intrastate route for Allegiant¡ªone that hasn¡¯t been flown in more than ten years. The 342-mile flight between Knoxville (TYS) and Memphis (MEM) will mark the first time the two cities have been linked by air since Southern Airways Express briefly operated the route in May 2015. Before that, the service had been a regular offering from Northwest Airlines (and, post-merger, Delta Air Lines) out of its Memphis hub.
The upcoming launch will mark Allegiant¡¯s first-ever intrastate route in Tennessee. Without this flight, travelers typically face a nearly six-hour drive along Interstate 40. The big question is how many people are currently making the drive between Knoxville and Memphis, and how many would actually choose to fly nonstop instead.
Department of Transportation data shows that just over 10 travelers a day would have opted for connecting flights between the two cities last year. Even when nonstop service was available about ten years ago, that number only rose slightly to just over 20 passengers per day. With that in mind, it¡¯ll be worth watching how Allegiant performs in these new markets, especially with its first-ever route within Tennessee.
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