Allegiant Airlines: What You Need To Know

what to know about traveling on allegiant airlines

Allegiant Air is a low-cost airline that offers ultra-low fares to destinations across the US. The airline was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. Allegiant Air is unique in that it flies from smaller regional airports and only on the days when most people want to fly. This business model allows the airline to pass savings on to its customers.

When booking with Allegiant Air, it is important to note that the initial price you see is for a bare-bones experience. You will likely want to upgrade your fare to include a carry-on bag and seat selection. Allegiant offers a bundle system to make purchasing flight extras easier, with options including:

- Basic: Seat selection, one personal item, and a carry-on bag

- Bonus: Seat selection, priority boarding, one personal item, and a checked bag

- Total: Seat selection, priority boarding, one personal item, a carry-on bag, a checked bag, and priority boarding

All bundle classes include Trip Flex, which allows you to change or cancel your flights without paying extra fees.

Allegiant Air has a straightforward ticketing process. If you buy a ticket without purchasing any extras, you will be randomly assigned a seat. You can also choose to purchase a specific seat before you fly, which will cost more but guarantees your preferred seat on the plane. Allegiant also offers seats with extra legroom on select airplanes, called Allegiant Extra.

The airline has a baggage policy that allows each passenger to carry on one personal item, such as a purse, briefcase, or small backpack, free of charge. However, you will need to pay for a carry-on bag that can be stowed in the overhead bins. Checked bags are also available for purchase, with fees varying depending on when and where you purchase them.

Allegiant Air has a unique boarding process with four pre-boarding zones and six general boarding zones. Pre-boarding is for passengers who require additional time or assistance, followed by priority boarding for passengers who have purchased Priority Access or have an Allegiant World Mastercard. Military personnel and families traveling with young children and accessories like car seats and strollers are also given priority.

The standard seats on Allegiant Air offer less than 30 inches of seat pitch, resulting in limited legroom for passengers. However, the airline does offer larger seats with an additional six inches of legroom, known as Allegiant Extra.

Food and beverages are available for purchase on Allegiant Air flights, including water, soda, beer, hard seltzer, and coffee. Snack packs are also available for purchase. In-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi are not currently available on Allegiant Air flights.

Overall, Allegiant Air is a good option for those who value price over frills. The airline offers direct flights to popular destinations at affordable prices, but it is important to be aware of the additional fees for extras such as seat selection and baggage.

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The airline offers non-stop service from regional cities to major destinations in the US

Allegiant Air offers non-stop service from regional cities to major destinations in the US. The airline focuses on serving leisure traffic from small and medium-sized cities which it considers to be underserved, using a low-cost business model with minimal inclusions in fares and a greater number of add-on fees.

Allegiant Air was founded in 1997 and is wholly owned by Allegiant Travel Company, a publicly traded company with 5,600 employees and over US$2.6 billion market capitalization in 2016. The airline is the fourteenth-largest in North America.

Allegiant Air was founded in January 1997 by Mitch Allee (owner, CEO), Jim Patterson (president), and Capt. Dave Beadle (chief pilot) under the name WestJet Express. The airline also has authority for charter service to Canada and Mexico.

Allegiant Air offers non-stop service from regional cities to major destinations in the US, including:

  • Orlando/Sanford, Florida
  • St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida
  • Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona
  • Punta Gorda/Fort Myers, Florida
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Tampa, Florida
  • Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
  • Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Bellingham, Washington
  • Nashville, Tennessee
  • Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Des Moines, Iowa
  • Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Asheville, North Carolina
  • Palm Beach, Florida
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida
  • Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona
  • Punta Gorda, Florida
  • Appleton, Wisconsin
  • Bishop International Airport

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Allegiant Air is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company, a publicly traded company

Allegiant Travel Company is an American airline holding and hospitality company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company was founded in 1999 as the parent company of Allegiant Air, which itself was founded in 1997. Allegiant Travel Company officially began trading on the Nasdaq exchange under the stock ticker symbol, ALGT, in December 2006.

Allegiant Air focuses on serving leisure traffic from small and medium-sized cities, which it considers to be underserved, using an ultra-low-cost business model with minimal inclusions in fares and a greater number of add-on fees. The airline often serves smaller destinations that have few direct flights by major carriers, and tends to fly routes that avoid competition from other airlines.

Allegiant Air's parent company, Allegiant Travel Company, also operates Sunseeker Resorts and counts the golf course management software firm, Teesnap, as one of its subsidiaries.

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Allegiant offers specially-negotiated package vacation deals

Allegiant Air offers specially-negotiated package vacation deals, which include exclusive savings on hotel rooms and rental cars as part of an airline ticket package. These deals are only available to Allegiant customers and cannot be found anywhere else. Allegiant's package vacation deals are available in most cities served by the airline.

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Allegiant charges for carry-on bags larger than a personal item

Allegiant Air is a low-cost airline that offers ultra-low fares to its customers. The airline achieves this by charging for every extra, including carry-on bags larger than a personal item. The airline's website states that "You pay for the services you choose to use. For example, not everyone travels with checked luggage, so instead of adding a bag fee to every ticket, you only pay to cover the costs of the bags you choose to bring."

Allegiant Air's pricing strategy is based on the idea that customers should only pay for the services they use. This allows the airline to keep its base fares low and offer more choice to its customers. The cost of a carry-on bag larger than a personal item will vary depending on when and where it is added to the reservation. It is generally cheaper to add a carry-on bag when booking the ticket rather than at the airport.

Allegiant Air also offers bundles, which include seat selection, a carry-on bag, and other services. The "Allegiant Total" bundle, for example, includes seat selection, priority boarding, one personal item, a carry-on bag, a checked bag, and priority boarding. This bundle also includes Trip Flex, which allows customers to change or cancel their flights without paying extra fees.

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The airline offers an Allegiant World Mastercard with perks such as a free drink and priority boarding

The Allegiant World Mastercard, issued by Bank of America, offers a range of perks for cardholders. Cardholders can earn points that can be redeemed for Allegiant Air flights. Additionally, cardholders are entitled to priority boarding and a complimentary beverage every time they fly with Allegiant. The card also offers a "buy one, get one free" airfare perk when purchasing a vacation package that includes a minimum of four hotel nights or seven rental car days on the same itinerary.

The Allegiant World Mastercard has an annual fee of $59 and provides cardholders with 15,000 bonus points upon sign-up, which is equivalent to $150 when redeemed with Allegiant. Cardholders can earn three points per dollar spent on Allegiant purchases, two points per dollar on qualifying dining purchases, and one point per dollar on all other purchases.

The Allegiant credit card also offers benefits for military veterans, including free checked baggage and priority boarding.

Frequently asked questions

The baggage fees for Allegiant Air vary depending on the route flown. You can check prices and add baggage at the time of booking. Passengers can bring one personal item on board for free, such as a purse, briefcase, or small backpack. The maximum dimensions are 17cm x 38cm x 40cm (7 x 15 x 16 inches). Passengers can also purchase one carry-on bag per passenger, measuring no larger than 22cm x 35cm x 55cm (9 x 14 x 22 inches). There's no free baggage allowance on Allegiant flights. Checked baggage must be purchased.

Allegiant Air offers online check-in and airport check-in. Online check-in opens 24 hours before the scheduled flight departure time and closes 45 minutes before. Airport check-in closes 45 minutes before Allegiant Air's scheduled flight departure time. It is recommended that passengers arrive at the airport at least two hours before the scheduled flight departure time.

Allegiant Air does not provide in-flight entertainment or Wi-Fi on any of its flights. Food and drink are available to purchase onboard with a selection of snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Allegiant Air only has one cabin class - Economy class. Seats are set out in a 3 x 3 formation with 17 inches (43 cm) of width and between 30–34 inches (70-86 cm) of pitch. Each seat is made of leather.

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