Allegiant adds 4 new cities in 23-route expansion
Allegiant is adding four new cities to its route map, part of 23-route expansion announced Tuesday.
Austin also was a big winner in the update, landing seven new nonstop routes. The Austin growth coincides with Allegiant's formal opening of a crew base there and comes amid broader competition that has made the Texas capital one of the hottest aviation markets in the U.S.
As for the four new pins joining Allegiant's route map, two are major airports – Minneapolis/St. Paul and Washington Dulles – that continue the company's recent trend of pushing into bigger metro areas.
The other two additions are more traditional Allegiant cities, including the beach-friendly destination of Melbourne on Florida's "Space Coast." Melbourne's airport also sits just about 70 miles from Orlando and its popular theme parks.
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The last new pin – Amarillo, Texas – is the type of smaller market that the airline has typically focused on by connecting it to popular leisure destinations. Allegiant will debut in Amarillo with flights to both Las Vegas and Austin.
Allegiant's service from Minneapolis/St. Paul will begin in October, when it will begin flying to two Florida destinations (Punta Gorda near Fort Myers and West Palm Beach) as well as Asheville, North Carolina – the latter perhaps one of the more interesting city-pairs in the route update. But the Punta Gorda route is almost certainly aimed at rival budget carrier Sun Country, which operates its largest base at MSP. Sun Country recently announced its own service from MSP to Punta Gorda that is set to begin in December. Punta Gorda is dominated by Allegiant, which flies dozens of routes from the airport —where it's also currently the only passenger carrier. Sun Country would become just the second airline at the airport once its Minneapolis service begins.
Texas opportunity: Allegiant opening base in Austin, becomes latest to double down on Texas capital
Allegiant's Washington Dulles schedule will begin in November with the launch of the first of two routes to Florida. The Dulles service grows Allegiant's presence in the greater Washington-Baltimore metro area. The carrier already flies about a half-dozen routes from Baltimore/Washington International (BWI).
Elsewhere, several other of Allegiant's bases are getting multiple new routes, including three for Nashville. Among Nashville's new offerings is a nonstop route to Palm Springs, California, that begins Nov. 17.
A full list of Allegiant's new routes is below. All will begin with a schedule of two flights per week. Some routes are listed more than once if they appear under more than one city breakout.
Hello, Nashville! Allegiant Air latest to plan base in booming Nashville
Allegiant's new cities
Amarillo, Texas (AMA)
- Austin (AUS): Begins Nov. 18
- Las Vegas (LAS): Begins Oct. 14
Melbourne, Florida (MLB)
- Concord/Charlotte, North Carolina (USA): Begins Nov. 18
- Nashville (BNA): Begins Nov. 18
- Pittsburgh (PIT): Begins Nov. 11
Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)
- Asheville, North Carolina (AVL): Begins Oct. 7
- Punta Gorda, Florida (PGD): Begins Oct. 8
- West Palm Beach (PBI): Begins Oct. 7
Washington Dulles (IAD)
- Jacksonville, Florida (JAX): Begins Nov. 19
- Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida (SRQ): Begins Dec. 18
Allegiant's new routes from existing cities
Austin (AUS)
- Amarillo, Texas (AMA): Begins Nov. 18
- Louisville (SDF): Begins Nov. 18
- Orange County, California (SNA): Begins Nov. 18
- Provo, Utah (PVU): Begins Nov. 18
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota (FSD): Begins Nov. 18
- Springfield, Missouri (SGF): Begins Nov. 18
- Tulsa (TUL): Begins Nov. 18
Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Des Moines, Iowa (DSM): Begins Oct. 6
Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Fayetteville/Bentonville, Arkansas (XNA): Begins Nov. 19
Nashville (BNA)
- Jacksonville, Florida (JAX): Begins Nov. 18
- Melbourne, Florida (MLB): Begins Nov. 18
- Palm Springs, California (PSP): Begins Nov. 17
More: What pandemic? Palm Springs is booming with new flight, but is it sustainable?
Orange County, California (SNA)
- Austin (AUS): Begins Nov. 18
- Eugene, Oregon (EUG): Oct. 8
Punta Gorda, Florida (PGD)
- Minneapolis/St. Paul: Begins Oct. 8
- Springfield, Missouri (SGF): Begins Nov. 19
St. Petersburg, Florida (PIE)
- Wichita, Kansas (ICT): Begins Nov. 19
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