Allegiant adds 2 new cities in 15-route expansion
Allegiant is adding two cities to its route map, part of 15-route expansion that will be announced Tuesday.
The budget carrier will make its biggest debut at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County California. Allegiant will begin service there on Feb. 12, when it launches the first of eight routes from the Los Angeles-area airport.
Allegiant also will add new service to Spokane, Washington — which it will begin serving on Feb. 11 with nonstop service to Las Vegas. A second route —to Orange County — begins Feb. 18.
The airline’s hometown of Las Vegas also fared well in the latest expansion update, landing a total of four new routes. In addition to the Spokane flight, Allegiant will connect the city to Asheville, North Carolina; Flint, Michigan, and Orange County.
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“We’re excited to offer travelers another gateway into Southern California, as well as into the Pacific Northwest in 2021,” Drew Wells, Allegiant’s vice president of planning and revenue, said in a statement announcing the new routes. “We are continuing to expand Allegiant’s network to provide customers with even more convenient, nonstop options for any travel occasion.”
With Allegiant’s expansion to Orange County, it appears to be following the lead of other airlines that have used the pandemic to gain access to capacity-controlled airports that would have been more difficult to access during busier times.
Orange County — while not slot-restricted in the traditional sense — has an annual cap on passengers. The number of flights there can vary by year depending on airlines’ planned schedules, with access reallocated on a regular basis. With fewer passengers this year, there have been openings for new airlines to enter.
More: Spirit Airlines snags more Orange County slots, adds another new route
There were a few other interesting snippets from Allegiant’s latest expansion update. They include:
- Allegiant’s new route to Asheville will become its longest nonstop offering from Las Vegas, with the flight clocking in at 1,824 miles. The longest route in Allegiant’s overall network is its 1,900-mile nonstop between Los Angeles and Cincinnati. Allegiant’s current longest route from Las Vegas is to Knoxville, Tennessee (1,739 miles).
- Allegiant’s new flights from Las Vegas to Asheville and Flint, Michigan, will be overnight “red-eye” flights on the eastbound legs. While not unheard of in Allegiant’s network, they are unusual.
Elsewhere, Allegiant confirmed that it has ended service to Ogdensburg, New York, with no plans to return. The carrier had offered nonstop flights to Florida from the small airport in Upstate New York, but ended those after the U.S.-Canada border was closed during the pandemic. The airport sits just about 60 miles from Canada’s capital of Ottawa, which was the source for much of Allegiant’s traffic on the route.
Scroll down for a full list of Allegiant’s new routes, which are intended to be year-round. Flights will operate twice a week.
Orange County/John Wayne Airport, California (SNA)
Boise (BOI): Flights begin Feb. 12. Introductory fares begin at $49 one way.
Grand Junction, Colorado (GJT): Flights begin Feb. 12. Introductory fares begin at $69 one way.
Las Vegas (LAS): Flights begin Feb. 18. Introductory fares begin at $39 one way.
Medford, Oregon (MFR): Flights begin Feb. 12. Introductory fares begin at $69 one way.
Missoula, Montana (MSO): Flights begin Feb. 18. Introductory fares begin at $69 one way.
Provo, Utah (PVU): Flights begin Feb. 12. Introductory fares begin at $49 one way.
More: Salt Lake City’s spiffy new terminal just opened — here’s what it was like on day 1
Reno, Nevada (RNO): Flights begin Feb. 18. Introductory fares begin at $39 one way.
Spokane, Washington (GEG): Flights begin Feb. 18. Introductory fares begin at $69 one way.
Las Vegas (LAS)
Asheville, North Carolina (AVL): Flights begin March 4. Introductory fares begin at $79 one way.
Flint, Michigan (FNT): Flights begin March 4. Introductory fares begin at $59 one way.
Orange County, California (SNA): Flights begin Feb. 18. Introductory fares begin at $39 one way.
Spokane, Washington (GEG): Flights begin Feb. 11. Introductory fares begin at $49 one way.
More: Southwest Airlines expands again, adds three more cities to its route map
Grand Rapids, Michigan (GRR)
Destin, Florida (VPS): Flights begin March 5. Introductory fares begin at $49 one way.
Newark (EWR): Flights begin March 5. Introductory fares begin at $59 one way.
Phoenix/Mesa Gateway (AZA)
Houston Hobby (HOU): Flights begin Feb. 11. Introductory fares begin at $49 one way.
St. Petersburg, Florida (PIE)
Fargo, North Dakota (FAR): Flights begin Feb. 11. Introductory fares begin at $79 one way.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.