Allegiant Air facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Allegiant Air

Founded	January 1997; 28 years ago (1997-01)
Commenced operations	June 1998; 27 years ago (1998-06)
AOC #	WX0A156I
Operating bases	Allentown Appleton Asheville Austin Bellingham Cincinnati Destin–Ft. Walton Beach Des Moines Flint Fort Lauderdale Grand Rapids Indianapolis Knoxville Las Vegas Los Angeles Nashville Orlando/Sanford Phoenix/Mesa Pittsburgh Provo Punta Gorda Sarasota Savannah St. Petersburg (FL)
Frequent-flyer program	Allways Rewards
Fleet size	126
Destinations	124
Parent company	Allegiant Travel Company
Headquarters	Summerlin, Nevada, United States
Key people	Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. (CEO)

Allegiant Air, often called Allegiant, is a major American airline. Its main office is in Summerlin, Nevada, near Las Vegas. This airline focuses on flying people on vacation from smaller cities. It uses a special business model called "ultra low-cost." This means tickets are cheap, but you pay extra for things like luggage or choosing your seat.

Allegiant started in 1997. It is owned by Allegiant Travel Company, a company whose shares are traded on the stock market. Allegiant is one of the largest airlines in North America.

History of Allegiant Air

How Allegiant Air Started

Allegiant Air was first created in January 1997. It was called WestJet Express back then. The airline changed its name to Allegiant Air in 1998. This was because its first name was too similar to another airline.

Allegiant Air got permission to start flying in June 1998. It could fly both regular flights and special charter flights.

Early Years (1990s and 2000s)

Regular flights began on October 15, 1998. The first flights were between Las Vegas and Fresno, California. Allegiant used McDonnell Douglas DC-9 planes.

In 2000, Allegiant started flying to Long Beach, California. But later that year, the airline faced money problems. It had to file for bankruptcy protection. This allowed Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., who was owed money by the airline, to take control.

The Allegiant Air logo used from 2003 to 2010.

An older Allegiant Air plane (McDonnell Douglas MD-83) in 2007.

In 2001, Allegiant changed its business plan. It became a low-cost airline. It started focusing on smaller cities that bigger airlines didn't serve. The airline also moved its main office to Las Vegas.

By 2004, Allegiant was flying from 13 small cities to Las Vegas. It also offered flight and hotel packages. In 2006, Allegiant's parent company started selling shares to the public. This helped the airline grow even more.

Allegiant continued to add new bases in the late 2000s. These included Phoenix-Mesa, Fort Lauderdale, and Bellingham.

Growing and Changing (2010s)

An Allegiant Air Boeing 757-200 in 2012.

In 2010, Allegiant bought more used planes. It also opened new bases in places like Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Allegiant bought some Boeing 757-200 planes to start flights to Hawaii. They got approval to fly there in 2011. However, Allegiant later stopped flying to Hawaii.

In 2015, some Allegiant planes had mechanical issues during flights. This led to the Federal Aviation Administration watching the airline more closely. Allegiant then opened new bases in Asheville, North Carolina and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Throughout the 2010s, Allegiant kept expanding. It added bases in Indianapolis, Indiana, Destin, Florida, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Des Moines, Iowa.

Recent Years (2020s)

In 2021, Allegiant started new flights to John Wayne Airport in California. It also opened two more operating bases in Appleton, Wisconsin and Flint, Michigan in 2022.

Allegiant also began new non-stop flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to several cities. The airline also partnered with Viva Aerobus to add routes between the United States and Mexico.

How Allegiant Air Works

Business Model

Allegiant mainly serves people traveling for fun. They often fly to warm places like Florida, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. The airline usually flies to smaller airports that don't have many direct flights from other major airlines. This helps Allegiant avoid competition.

Allegiant tries to keep its costs low at airports. For example, they might rent ticket counters only when they need them. They also prefer using smaller airports that charge lower fees.

Many Canadians fly with Allegiant from U.S. airports near the border. This is because it can be cheaper than flying from Canada.

The airline also saves money by buying used planes. They also schedule their flight crews to return home each day. This avoids paying for hotel rooms for the crew.

Allegiant sells tickets only through its own website. This helps them control prices. They also don't offer connecting flights. You can only buy direct, non-stop trips.

Extra Fees (Ancillary Revenue)

Allegiant earns money from extra fees, not just ticket sales. These are called "ancillary revenues." You pay extra for things like:

• Checking luggage
• Carrying on luggage (besides a small personal item)
• Buying food and drinks on the plane
• Choosing your seat in advance

Allegiant also earns money by offering hotel rooms, car rentals, and tickets to tourist places on its website. They sell vacation packages called Allegiant Vacations. These commissions from hotels and rental cars can make up a big part of the airline's income.

Charter Flights

Allegiant also operates special "charter" flights. These are flights hired by a group or company for a specific purpose. For example, Allegiant has flown people to casinos. They also transport firefighters for the United States Forest Service and college sports teams.

Sponsorships

Allegiant Air sponsors many sports teams and leagues.

• In 2018, it became the official airline of Minor League Baseball.
• It also partnered with the National Hockey League's Vegas Golden Knights.
• In 2019, Allegiant became the official airline partner for the soccer club FC Cincinnati.
• Allegiant made a big deal in 2019 to name the Las Vegas Raiders' new stadium Allegiant Stadium.
• In 2020, it became the official airline of the Indianapolis Colts football team.

Branding

Allegiant Air's planes have a bright sunburst design on their tails. This design shows the airline's focus on sunny vacation spots.

Allegiant Air Destinations

Allegiant flies to many places across the United States. As of December 2021, it serves 133 destinations. Most of these are smaller regional airports. Flights usually happen only a few times a week. Allegiant adds or stops routes based on how many people want to fly there.

Top Domestic Markets

Allegiant Air Fleet

Current Fleet

As of April 2024, Allegiant's fleet has these aircraft:

Fleet Development

Allegiant Air Airbus A319-100.

Allegiant Air Airbus A320-200.

Allegiant Air often buys used planes. This helps them save money on the initial cost.

When they first started, Allegiant used McDonnell Douglas DC-9 jets. These were later replaced by McDonnell Douglas MD-80s.

In 2010, Allegiant bought some Boeing 757-200 aircraft. They used these for flights to Hawaii, but later stopped this service.

In 2012, Allegiant decided to switch its main aircraft type. They moved from MD-80s to the Airbus A320 family. They bought used Airbus A319-100 and Airbus A320-200 planes.

In 2016, Allegiant bought its first brand-new planes directly from Airbus. By 2018, all the older MD-80 planes were retired.

In 2022, Allegiant bought 50 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. They plan to use these alongside their Airbus planes.

Historical Fleet

Allegiant Air has also used these aircraft types in the past:

Incidents and Accidents

• On March 29, 2007, an Allegiant Air plane had a problem with its landing gear. The plane landed safely at Orlando Sanford International Airport. Only one person had a minor injury during the evacuation. The plane was repaired and put back into service.
• On July 23, 2015, an Allegiant plane tried to land at an airport where special flight rules were in place. The pilots realized they were low on fuel and needed to land quickly. Air traffic control reminded them that the flight rules had been announced for months. The plane landed safely.

See Also

In Spanish: Allegiant Air para niños

• Air transportation in the United States