Why Allegiant Air pilots picketed at Asheville Regional Airport
More than two dozen airline pilots in uniform lined the front of the Asheville Regional Airport and the sidewalk along NC 280 Nov. 18.
- Allegiant Air reported a significant increase in passengers and departures in October compared to the previous year.
- The low-cost airline is expanding its service with 30 new nonstop routes, many of which are based in Florida.
- New flights from various Florida airports will connect to destinations in the Midwest and Northeast starting early next year.
It’s been a wild rollercoaster of a year for air travel, but Allegiant Air seems to be coming out of it pretty well. On Tuesday, Nov. 25, the low-cost airline reported that according to preliminary numbers, passengers in October were up 27.6% over last year, with 21.2% more departures.
Allegiant has also been launching new flights at Florida airports, with six routes that started in November and 11 new flights announced for early next year, part of 30 new routes announced Nov. 18.
Travelers from Fort Lauderdale will be able to fly nonstop to Chicago, Trenton, New Jersey and Rochester and Albany in New York, the release said. The Orlando Sanford airport will get a route to Wisconsin and Missouri. Key West travelers can hitch a ride to Columbus, Ohio, while flyers from Destin-Fort Walton Beach will be able to head to Missouri or Denver, Colorado.
That’s on top of a previously announced resumed flight from Fort Lauderdale to Chattanooga, Tennessee, starting in February.
The Las Vegas-based Allegiant offers a network of only nonstop, point-to-point flights and operates nearly half of its total capacity in Florida.
Here’s what’s coming.
What are Allegiant’s new flights in Florida? When do they start?
- Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) and
- Columbia, Missouri via Columbia Regional Airport (COU) starting June 5, 2026
- Denver, Colorado via Denver International Airport (DEN) starting May 21, 2026
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and
- Albany, New York via Albany International Airport (ALB) starting Feb. 13, 2026
- Chattanooga, Tennesee via Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA), starting Feb. 12, 2026
- Chicago, Illinois via Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) starting Feb. 12, 2026
- Rochester, New York via Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) starting Feb. 12, 2026, with one-way fares
- Trenton, New Jersey via Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN) starting Feb. 19, 2026
- Key West International Airport (EYW) and
- Columbus, Ohio via Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) starting May 21, 2026
- Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) and
- Columbia, Missouri via Columbia Regional Airport (COU) starting June 3, 2026
- La Crosse, Wisconsin via La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE) starting May 21, 2026
- Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) and
- Trenton, New Jersey via Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN) starting Feb. 20, 2026
- St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and
- Trenton, New Jersey via Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN) starting Feb. 20, 2026
Tickets for all flights are available now at Allegiant.com.
What Allegiant flights started in November?
The following flight started up at Florida airports this month.
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, started Nov. 20
- Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) in New Orleans, Louisiana, started Nov. 21
- Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and
- Appleton International Airport (ATW) in Appleton, Wisconsin, started Nov. 21
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) in Des Moines, Iowa, started Nov. 21
- Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) in Allentown, Pennsylvania, started Nov. 13
- Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) and Toledo Express Airport (TOL) in Toledo, Ohio, started Nov. 20
How much are Allegiant tickets?
Allegiant Air tends to focus on serving leisure traffic from small and medium-sized cities which it considers to be underserved, using an ultra low-cost business model. The base fares are low, but there are add-on fees for services such as carry-on baggage and printed boarding passes and there is no WiFi or onboard entertainment.
More new flights at Florida airports
Allegiant isn’t the only airline launching new routes.
JetBlue is adding year-round five-times-weekly nonstop service between Orlando International Airport (MCO). and Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) in New York, starting March 26, 2026, and between Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) and both Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) starting March 5.
Spirit Airlines, which has been struggling to recover from two bankruptcies in a year, announced on Nov. 21 a new nonstop flight to Belize (Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport BZE) from Fort Lauderdale, with three flights weekly on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. Earlier this month, Spirit announced the return of a nonstop route between Palm Beach International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, starting Dec. 4.
Avelo Airlines announced Nov. 12 new flights between Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) with twice-weekly service starting Wednesdays and Saturdays Feb. 11, 2026. Starting Feb. 13, 2026, the ultra-low-cost airline will also restore nonstop flights from Lakeland to Atlanta via Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) with five flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Which Florida airports does Allegiant service?
Allegiant currently flies to these Florida destinations:
- Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport† (VPS)
- Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport† (FLL)
- Fort Myers (RSW)
- Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)
- Key West International Airport (EYW)
- Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)
- Punta Gorda Airport† (PGD)
- Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
- Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) (starting in November)
- St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (TPA)
- Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)
