Allegiant Air latest to plan base in booming Nashville
Allegiant Air is the latest to bet its planes on the rapidly growing Nashville market with plans for a new base.
The Las Vegas-based discounter will base two Airbus A320 family aircraft at Nashville International Airport (BNA) from February, a move that will see it hire 66 staff and invest $50 million in the local market, Allegiant said Tuesday.
"As a premier destination for visitors from all over the world, and a growing, diverse city attracting new residents, Nashville hits all the right notes for an Allegiant base," said Keith Hansen, vice-president of government affairs at Allegiant, in a statement. "Having locally-based aircraft and crews will give us a wide range of options for new service, meaning more opportunities for affordable and convenient nonstop flights."
Related: Allegiant Air Adds 2 New Cities in 24-Route Expansion
Allegiant, which has served Nashville since 2018, flies to 12 destinations from the city, including Orlando Sanford (SFB) and St. Petersburg/Clearwater (PIE) in Florida, and Richmond (RIC) in Virginia. Notably, the airline does not fly to its main western bases in Las Vegas (LAS) or Phoenix Mesa (AZA) from the Middle Tennessee city.
Allegiant is just the latest carrier to bet on Nashville's growth. Spirit Airlines began service to the city earlier in October and already has plans to add four more routes in 2020, and Delta Air Lines labelled Nashville a "focus city" -- which can mean more nonstop flights or an increased local sales presence -- in June.
Related: Spirit just began flying from Nashville, and it's already adding more routes
Nashville airport saw passenger numbers jump 15% to 17.2 million during its 2019 fiscal year that ended in June, according to airport data. To accommodate the growth, the airport is in the midst of an expansion program, dubbed "BNA Vision," that includes an expanded terminal and new concourse.
Southwest Airlines has been the largest carrier in Nashville since the 1990s, after American Airlines closed its hub at the airport in 1995. The Dallas-based discounter carried more than half of the airport's passengers in 2018, U.S. Department of Transportation data via Diio by Cirium shows.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.