It was a mere couple of weeks ago when Allegiant Airlines made the big step of allowing its flights to be viewed and booked via Expedia. But their most recent announcement shakes things up even more.
Starting tomorrow (August 1), Allegiant will begin offering complimentary beverage service on its flights. This will include sodas, juice, and water. Previously, the airline charged for all beverages, with the price of a can of Coke going for $4. Of course, rather than getting the whole can, complimentary beverages will now be served by the cup — as Allegiant’s already-updated menu shows.
Funny enough, during my last Allegiant flight this summer, they announced that they weren’t selling bottled water and would instead be offering free cups of water on board. In hindsight, I’m wondering if this may have been part of a pilot program or something.
Anyway, if you’re familiar with Allegiant’s Allways Rewards Visa card, you may be wondering what this means for cardholders. After all, one of that card’s key perks was a free beverage on board (in addition to priority boarding and other benefits). Well, Allegiant states that these customers will be able to claim a free “elevated beverage” such as coffee, protein shakes, sports drinks, or an alcoholic beverage with a mixer. Basically, it sounds like you can get anything up to $16, which is pretty cool.
But that’s not all! Allegiant also revealed plans to add Allegiant First to select aircraft starting in 2027. Just as it sounds, this will be the airline’s version of a First Class product. This cabin will include eight seats with a 2-2 configuration (versus 3-3 on most Allegiant planes). The airline also says that these seats will have a five-inch recline, calf rests, and adjustable headrests — and, of course, increased legroom.
There will be other perks to booking Allegiant First as well. In addition to getting priority boarding, the fare will include one personal item, one carry-on bag, and one checked bag (up to 70 pounds).
While Allegiant First won’t launch until Spring 2027, bookings are expected to open starting mid-August. Also, the airline points out that this will not replace the current Allegiant Extra product.
Personally, as a self-proclaimed Allegiant fan, I have some mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it sounds like all upside. However, having seen how Southwest slowly became like every other airline, killing off everything that made them special, I’m a bit worried that Allegiant could follow a similar, unfortunate path. Also, while I’d imagine that I could fly Allegiant First for less than I spend for Economy on other airlines, one aspect of the fare details has me a little worried: including both a carry-on and a checked bag. If they’re pricing in those costs, then this could end up being more than I thought.
Nevertheless, I’m cautiously optimistic about these changes — and look forward to testing out Allegiant First next year!