Spirit Airlines will be ending services to Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG) early next month. This will leave just Allegiant Air servicing the airport. Nevertheless, passengers will still have options if they want to visit this well-known North American tourist destination. Here is how to do it.
Spirit Airlines ending service at IAG
WKBW out of Buffalo reports that Spirit Airlines will suspend service in and out of Niagara Falls from October 6th. The airline currently has only flown between Niagara Falls and Myrtle Beach (MYR).
Spirit Airlines has not outlined any plans to return to the airport, though that is not just because of less demand in the United States. Niagara Falls International Airport was also a gateway for Canadian travelers looking for a cheap flight across the border. It was easy for them to park their cars at the airport and hop a flight, hence why Spirit flew down to Myrtle Beach. With the border closed, there is likely not as much demand for those flights, leading the airline to suspend operations.
Spirit may resume operations from IAG once the border reopens and demand picks up. Spirit does not fly to Canada, which is known for some high airport fees that would not mesh with Spirit’s low-fare structure. So, Spirit serves cities that are close enough to the border where Canadians can drive across, like Detroit, Niagara Falls, and Plattsburgh.
Which other airlines still fly to IAG?
With Spirit departing, only one other carrier will continue to serve the airport, Allegiant Air. Low-cost carrier Allegiant Air flies to Fort Myers/Punta Gorda (PGD), Orlando/Sanford (SFB), and Tampa/St. Petersburg (PIE) in Florida and Savannah/Hilton Head (SAV) in Georgia.
Data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows that Allegiant Air had a market share of 58% at IAG last year. Meanwhile, Spirit clocked in at 42%. No other major carriers serve IAG; however, that does not mean you cannot fly to Niagara Falls.
What are the best ways to fly to Niagara Falls?
Unless you live in Florida or Georgia and can hop Allegiant Air to IAG, you will likely have to look at alternative options. On the American side, the next closest airport is Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF). This is about a 30-minute drive from Niagara Falls.
Most passengers heading to Niagara Falls via plane are flying into Buffalo. The big three major US airlines plus Southwest, JetBlue, and Frontier, serve the airport. Most passengers will need to connect in a hub such as Charlotte, Atlanta, or Chicago en route to the airport, but Frontier and Southwest offer some point-to-point service.
For Candian citizens, the nearest airports would be in Hamilton (YHM), though that airport is also losing some low-cost service. The other major airport serving Canadians would be Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (YYZ) or Billy Bishop Toronto City (YTZ). The drive, however, from both of those airports to Niagara falls would take a little over an hour. The drive from Hamilton should come at an hour or less.
What is your go-to way to get to Niagara Falls? Will you take a flight to Niagara Falls? Let us know in the comments!
