Another budget airline adds first class: Allegiant's seats to debut in 2027
Another budget airline is diving headfirst into first class.
Allegiant Air this week announced it's joining the wave of discounters embracing "premium." The Las Vegas-based carrier will launch a new first-class cabin beginning in 2027.
The new seats appear to be right on par with what you'd expect in a domestic first-class seat — spacious recliners, calf rests, cocktail trays and extra storage.
But for Allegiant, this move is hardly par for the course.
The airline has long been known for a true budget airline experience: no-frills cabins, cheap fares and add-on fees for the rest. Its true calling card: a unique route network between underserved cities and vacation destinations.
Across the industry, though, carriers are racing to add outfit their planes and the airports they fly from with more premium bells and whistles.
That includes the low-cost airlines.
Frontier Airlines and JetBlue are each preparing to debut domestic first-class cabins by the end of this year. And Southwest Airlines admits it's thinking hard about airport lounges.
"This is about giving customers more ways to travel with us," Allegiant chief commercial officer Drew Wells said of Allegiant's first-class plans. "Travelers are increasingly looking for more comfort, more personalization and more flexibility, and these new offerings are a meaningful step forward in delivering that."
'Allegiant First'
Allegiant plans to begin phasing first-class recliners onto "select aircraft" in 2027, with the seats likely to debut next spring.
Once on board its aircraft, they'll take up the first two rows of its planes, arranged in a two-by-two configuration. That's eight seats in total.
Expect some soft product upgrades in the cabin, too; the carrier is promising some "upgraded service elements" that will come with the nicer seats.
Tickets for "Allegiant First" will go on sale in mid-August.
The carrier plans to continue offering its extra legroom "Allegiant Extra" seating option, which debuted in recent years and has been called a major success by executives.
Free on-board drinks are coming, too
Beyond the first-class seats, Allegiant on Wednesday also announced a deal-sweetener — or a palate-cleaner, if you will — for the back of the planes.
Beginning on Aug. 1, the airline no longer plans to charge customers for soft drinks, sodas, juice and water for free on its planes; yes, on a budget airline, those refreshments are often not complimentary!
Passengers with the airline's credit card will get additional beverage options for free, including alcoholic drinks, coffee, protein shakes and sports drinks.
A long time coming
News of Allegiant's first-class seats wasn't a complete surprise.
Speaking exclusively to TPG last summer, the airline's CEO, Greg Anderson, had acknowledged the carrier was "studying" the possibility of adding a premium seating option.
"Probably the safe play is just to [stick with] the Allegiant Extra," Anderson said at the time. "We want to kind of continue to monitor the trends, and make that call down the road."
The company has now made up its mind — a move that came just months after it got larger by acquiring former rival Sun Country Airlines.
Allegiant has also teased major upgrades, in the future, to its Allways loyalty program.
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