Information on Allegiant Air Flights

Allegiant Air is a discount carrier based in Las Vegas, Nevada, that has gained a reputation for convenient nonstop flights and low fares. It serves traditionally underserved, small-market US cities with larger jets and low fares. The catch is that all that small fare gets you is a spot on the plane and an allowance of a small personal item like a laptop bag. If you want an assigned seat, cabin bag, checked bag or a bottle of water, your cost goes up.

As one who regularly travels to cover off-the-beaten-path destinations in the US, I’ve found Allegiant incredibly useful. I can fly without changing planes in big, hectic airline hubs, and sometimes the low fares save me hundreds of dollars. Here’s all you need to know about Allegiant Air from all the extra costs to what to expect onboard.

Allegiant Air flight routes

Allegiant Air has carved a niche for itself by offering nonstop flights between smaller cities and larger destinations. This allows travelers to skip large city hubs when flying between smaller, regional destinations, eliminating layovers and big airport stress. Allegiant offers only nonstop routes, meaning you’ll never have a layover. Flights don’t operate every day, though, so you may need to make trips longer or shorter to take an advantage of an Allegiant roundtrip.

I manage to get around this sometimes by taking an Allegiant Air flight one way, then booking a separate ticket on a legacy carrier the other way. I won’t get a nonstop with that other airline, and it’s sometimes more expensive, but I still save a bit overall. More importantly, it does allow for more flexibility in schedule when Allegiant flights don’t operate on the days I need to fly.

Allegiant Air fare classes

Allegiant’s base fares are low – that’s how they draw you in. The first time I flew Allegiant, I made the budgeting mistake of assuming that the base fare was all I’d pay. Wrong. The airline has its advantages, but up-front pricing is not one of them.

The base fare gets you on the plane with one personal item, like a laptop bag. That bag can be no larger than 8 x 14 x 18 inches. A carry-on bag will cost you extra, as will a checked bag. Bag fees vary by flight and are charged per bag, each way. If you know you’re going to be bringing a carry-on or checked bag, pay for them when you buy your ticket. At the airport, the airline charges more, so you’ll always save by booking ahead.

You can also pay to reserve your seat ahead of time. Allegiant will assign you a seat at check-in if you don’t, and during busy times this can often be a middle seat as others will have reserved the better spots. As a taller person, I always choose to reserve my seat ahead of time to avoid the dreaded middle seat.

Also, seats with extra leg room, like exit rows and bulkheads, are usually only a few dollars more, and worth it if you need those extra six inches. The exact price will vary depending on your flight.

Allegiant offers “bundles” that allow you to pay for your bags, seat assignments, priority boarding and Trip Flex, which allows you to make changes to your reservation without a fee, for less than adding these on individually. Again, this is a good idea if you know you’ll be paying for many or all these things anyway. I’ve seen bundles end up costing more than the base fare, though, so keep this in mind when budgeting.

Also, a note to veterans of the US armed forces: Allegiant gives you two free checked bags, a free carry-on, free boarding pass printing and other benefits with proof of service. As a veteran, this is a big plus for me as it saves literally hundreds of dollars every time I fly Allegiant.

Allegiant Air check-in

You can check in up to 24 hours in advance on the Allegiant app or online, and this is available up to 45 minutes before the flight’s scheduled departure time. Allegiant Air charges a small extra cost for printed boarding passes, so if you’re flying with only carry-on you’ll actually save money by skipping the check-in counter.

Depending on which airport I’m flying out of, check-in with Allegiant can be simple or complicated. As a discount airline, Allegiant aims to reduce costs wherever possible, which means the check-in counters are typically minimally staffed.

If I’m not checking a bag, I will always skip the check-in counter, as I can easily pull up my Allegiant boarding pass online. If I’m checking a bag, I’ll aim to get to larger airports about 2 hours before my flight. In smaller, regional airports I’m usually okay arriving just an hour early.

Allegiant Air Allways

The Allegiant Air frequent flier program is called “Allways,” and works a little differently than other loyalty programs. It’s based entirely on how much money you spend – one point for every dollar, and double points on all itineraries over $500. You can redeem your points at one cent per point, so for every $100 you spend, you’ll get $1 towards a future Allegiant Air flight.

The big difference with Allways is that whoever pays for the tickets gets all the points. So, if you book four tickets for your entire family, you get the points for all four travelers. As a frequent business traveler, this isn’t always advantageous for me, since other people are often the ones booking. There’s also no elite flier program, so you won’t get anything extra if you fly the airline frequently.

Allegiant Air alliances

Because of Allegiant Air’s beautiful business model of all nonstop routes between underserved cities, it has the advantage of offering routes other airlines do not. As a result, it doesn’t partner with any other airlines in terms of codeshares or loyalty programs. Still, for the Allways rewards program, Allegiant does partner with Sunseeker Resorts, so you can earn extra points by booking stays at those properties.

Inflight entertainment

Allegiant Air doesn’t offer any in-flight entertainment aside from, interestingly, an in-flight magazine. Where most large carriers have done away with their seatback literature, Allegiant still offers one. This is probably because the airline doesn’t offer any movies or streamable in-flight programming. Also, and I cannot stress this enough, there’s no Wi-Fi on any Allegiant Air flights.

I work on planes frequently, but if I’m flying Allegiant I’m always sure to download whatever I need before I fly because I won’t be able to work on anything that requires the internet during the flight. It’s a little frustrating at first since I’m used to having easy connections on most other airplanes, but with enough planning ahead, it’s still possible to get some work done.

Food and other onboard experiences

No food or drinks are included in your Allegiant Air ticket. When that snack cart comes around, make sure you have your credit card handy. You’ll find all sorts of sodas, beers, wine, spirits and snack boxes onboard, and they’re no more expensive than the airport newsstands. I’ll usually budget a small bit for in-flight food on long flights since the prices are comparable to the airport and sometimes even cheaper.

The tray tables are small, so if you like to work on airplanes you may need to resign yourself to holding your laptop on your lap. The seats are large enough for many, though as one who is over 6 feet tall, I’ll always pay for the extra legroom. The pitch on Allegiant’s seats is 30 inches, which can be cramped for taller people. Also, note that Allegiant’s seats do not recline.

Allegiant Air credit card

You can earn bonus Allways points with the Allways Rewards Visa from Allegiant Air. Spending on this card awards 3 points for every dollar you spend on Allegiant and named partners, 2 points for dining purchases and 1 point for all other purchases. It also comes with complimentary priority check-in and boarding, and a free beverage on each flight. Points never expire.

Pet policy

Allegiant Air will allow you to fly with dogs or cats as long as you meet a few standard conditions. Pets must be contained in a pet carrier, no larger than 9 x 16 x 19 inches. They must remain in the carrier for the entire flight, and the carrier needs to stay under the seat in front of you for takeoff and landing. Allegiant charges a fee per flight for pets (not roundtrip).