Budget airline Allegiant Air has today announced a sizeable route expansion. The airline is targeting 21 new routes for the summer 2021 season, including adding service to three brand new cities. The airline is targeting something of a role reversal, catering to passengers from major destinations who are looking to take outdoorsy vacations this year.
Allegiant adds Key West, Jackson Hole and Portland
Allegiant Air has revealed a significant route expansion for summer 2021. The airline will begin service to Key West, Jackson Hole and Portland, Oregon in May and June this year. Nine routes will be launched from these new cities, with a total of 26 weekly flights each way.
For Jackson Hole (JAC), Allegiant will fly to Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Reno, all beginning in early June. From Key West, the airline will add service to Nashville and Sanford, Florida, starting the same week. And for Portland, Allegiant will connect PDX with Santa Maria and Monterey in California as well as Idaho Falls, beginning in April and May.
In addition to these new cities on Allegiant’s route map, the carrier is beginning eight nonstop routes that were previously announced in 2020 but were postponed due to the pandemic. These include Boston to Grand Rapids, New York Stewart to Destin Florida and Savannah, as well as Nashville to Greensboro.
Seasonal additions are also being made from Peoria, Illinois, to Denver and Sarasota, both beginning in May. From Charleston, service will begin to Belleville, Illinois, and from Baltimore/Washington to Punta Gorda, Florida, all starting in late May.
Drew Wells, Allegiant’s vice president of revenue and planning, commented on the new routes saying,
“Today, travelers are seeking destinations that allow them the chance to recreate in a safe way, usually outdoors. The three cities we’re adding to our network – Key West, Portland and Jackson Hole – are gateways to some of the United States’ most scenic destinations, including national parks and other outdoor attractions that are in high demand.”
To celebrate the launch of the new services, Allegiant has launched a cut-price fare sale with one-way flights priced from $39 and up. The cheap flights are available to purchase today and tomorrow for travel by August 16th, 2021.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily aviation news digest.
Intelligent route planning for minimal competition
The routes announced today by Allegiant are keenly targeted at travelers looking to access the great outdoors. Since the outbreak of COVID in the States, passenger demand for outdoor recreation destinations has soared. It’s a situation that has seen many airlines adding service to gateways to the great outdoors.
It’s a role reversal for Allegiant, which usually spends its time shuttling passengers from out of the way airports to major destinations such as Las Vegas and Phoenix. Now, it is tapping into demand from passengers in those major destinations to get out of the city for fresh air vacations.
According to analysis from anna.aero, Allegiant will face little to no competition on the majority of its new routes. Of the 13 new routes announced today, all but one are completely competition-free, with only Jackson Hole to Los Angeles already operated by both American and United. Delta currently flies the route too, but will drop it for the summer season this year.
What do you make of Allegiant’s pandemic flight plan? Let us know in the comments.
