Everything You Need to Know About Flying Allegiant Air in 2024

Allegiant logo

When my wife and I moved to Springfield, Missouri almost a decade ago, one of the selling points (or at least what kept it in the running) was that there was a nearby airport that served a decent number of destinations. Unfortunately, while it is convenient, flying out of such a small airport can also get pricey at times. This is especially true when youā€™re looking to fly last minute. Luckily for us, however, there is one airline that offers direct flights from SGF to key destinations and features affordable fares: Allegiant Air.

Since my first flight with Allegiant in 2018, Iā€™ve flown with them numerous times, including trips to Sanford, Florida (SFB), Los Angeles (LAX), and Las Vegas (LAS). As a result, I feel Iā€™ve gotten to know the airline pretty well, including many of its quirks. With Allegiant being a ā€œno-frillsā€ airline, the experience of booking and traveling with them is a bit different from the big guys. With that in mind, hereā€™s what you need to know before booking your Allegiant Air flight.

Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air: A great option for the price (if you know what you’re doing)
4
Cities serviced
Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Austin, Portland, Sanford, Florida (near Orlando), and more
Co-branded credit card
Allways Rewards Mastercard
Allegiant Air is a discount airline with attractive base fares and compelling non-stop routes ā€” which often focus on bringing those in smaller markets to top destinations in the U.S.. Of course, those base fares aren’t actually what you’ll pay as the airline charges for many of the amenities that full-service airlines include such as carry-on bags, in-flight refreshments, and more. Still, as long as you know what to expect ahead of time, you can end up spending quite a bit less with Allegiant than you would with other carriers.
Pros
  • Affordable base fares
  • Direct flights to destinations such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, and more
  • A la carte pricing allows flyers to select the options they need
Cons
  • Limited flight schedule
  • Total cost can rise after selecting all options
  • Lacks (included) amenities that flyers may be used to

Booking Your Allegiant Air Flight

One of the first things to know about flying with Allegiant Air is that you might not find them listed on popular third-party travel sites like Expedia. Thatā€™s partially because they only fly to certain destinations on certain days (as weā€™ll discuss in a moment). 

Additionally, while you might see the airline pop up in Google Flights searches, youā€™ll be directed to the Allegiant site to actually book. However, when checking on this again, I did notice that Allegiant flights were displayed in my Kayak search and I was directed to book on a site called eDreams. Personally, I had not previously heard of this site and, while it seems pretty legit from a cursory glance, Iā€™d likely prefer to go directly to Allegiantā€™s site anyway.

On Allegiantā€™s site, you can explore which destinations they service, view flight schedules, and of course book travel. This can be helpful for planning your trip as youā€™ll know what limitations youā€™ll have.

As I said, what really attracted me to Allegiant was their fares, which start as low as $37 or so (from what Iā€™ve seen ā€” and thatā€™s for specific routes that Iā€™ve never taken myself). However, these base prices can be a bit deceiving as they donā€™t include everything your typical airline fare would. Additionally, there are a few other steps in the booking process to be aware of.

Flight schedules

As I alluded to above, one downside of Allegiant is that the airline maintains limited flight schedules. For example, flights from SGF to LAS (and vice versa) are typically only offered on Mondays and Fridays. Furthermore, some routes may be seasonal.

Because of this, for subsequent trips, Iā€™ve found myself planning around Allegiantā€™s flight schedule. This meant spending a week in Vegas when five days probably would have sufficed. Ultimately youā€™ll just want to consider the added costs you may incur ā€” such as spending an extra night or two in a hotel ā€” against the savings youā€™d see by flying Allegiant.

Booking bundles (Allegiant Bonus and Allegiant Total)

Once youā€™ve selected your flights, you may be presented with different bundle options. For example, Allegiant Bonus includes a carry-on as well as seat selection and Trip Flex (more on that later) while Allegiant Total also adds a checked bag and Priority Access to the mix. Both of these bundles offer a discount price when compared to what it would cost you to select all of those options Ć  la carte.

When I first encountered these bundles, I was initially excited as I tend to go for all the bells and whistles anyway. But then, looking at the price, I pondered why it was so high. Thatā€™s when I realized that the inflated cost was due to Trip Flex being included. As youā€™ll see, I donā€™t typically purchase this option, so these bundles donā€™t really make financial sense for me. Thatā€™s why itā€™s good that you can always choose to continue with Allegiant Basic and add your extras individually later in the booking process.

Hotel and travel offers

An interesting aspect of Allegiantā€™s booking process is that, before checking out, youā€™ll be invited to book hotels, rental cars, and other travel services. Presumably Allegiant has affiliate deals in place with these various vendors, entitling them to a cut of booking profits and allowing them to keep their fares low. It would also partially explain why they shy away from listing on third-party sites.

Personally, I havenā€™t needed to book a hotel, although I suppose it could be convenient to have all of your travel reservations in one place. From the limited research I did, it seemed the prices Allegiant listed were in line with other travel sites. I should also note that, unlike some other sites Iā€™ve encountered, Allegiant made it really simple to decline these extra services and get to the good stuff, as it were. So, three clicks later, I was ready to enter my info.

Entering passenger info

This next step is fairly straightforward. Here youā€™ll enter your name, birth date, e-mail and other information thatā€™s usually required of air travelers. For those with special needs or who want to travel with their pets, this is also where you can make those arrangements. As Iā€™ve since learned, this is also where you can enter your known traveler number if youā€™re a TSA Preāœ“ or Global Entry member.

Choosing your seat

After you select your flights, make it through the additional services sections, and enter your traveler info, the next step in the Allegiant booking process is to select your seat ā€” or not. Unlike many carriers, Allegiantā€™s system allows you to either pre-select a seat and incur an additional fee or have a seat assigned to you at check-in without a fee. Additionally, the various seats have different values assigned to them. 

For example, a window seat at the front of the plane with extra legroom might be close to $40, while a middle seat toward the back of the plane could be as low as $1 (although window and aisle seats in the back might be $20+ still).

Now, you may be asking why youā€™d pay to book a seat all the way in the back of the plane. Well, if youā€™re traveling with a group and looking for a place to sit together, that may be your only option on a fast-filling flight. In fact, Allegiant advises that parties wishing to sit together should select their seats in advance as there are no guarantees this will happen if the computer assigns you a complimentary seat.

When I first flew the airline, I did wonder if the seats that were assigned automatically included some of the ā€œpremierā€ ones at the front. As someone who all but refuses to go to a movie without having a reserved seat, I have yet to find out for sure. But, I have experienced both empty seats next to me and had people tell me that they were assigned the seats in my row, so Iā€™m guessing it depends on how busy the flight is.

Allegiant plane at the gate

Luggage and priority access

Another big difference between most major carriers and Allegiant Air is that, with the latter, you will need to pay to travel with a carry-on item. That said, they do allow you to travel with a ā€œpersonal itemā€ ā€” such as a backpack, purse, or (my personal favorite) a messenger bag ā€” as long as you stow it under your seat. In other words, if you want to be able to store your item in the overhead, youā€™ll need to pay up. Naturally, there are also fees in place for checked luggage as well.

The bag fees that Allegiant charges can also vary based on a number of factors. They advise that rates are far lower when you pay your luggage fees in advance, rather than wait until youā€™re at the airport. These fees can also depend on where youā€™re flying to. In my most recent test case (to Vegas), a carry-on would cost $45 each way, while each item of checked luggage would add $32 to the fare each way. Apparently, each of these fees would go up to $75 if done at the airport. Also, these fees do vary by flight, so keep an eye on them even if you have flown Allegiant before.

Speaking of luggage, perhaps the most stressful part of flying for me is worrying about finding overhead bin space. Heck, I presume thatā€™s a large part of the reason why frequent travelers pine for elite status and the right to board the plane early. With Allegiant, such status can be purchased for just a few dollars. In my case, I was able to purchase priority access boarding ā€” which gets you on the plane after the typical pre-board ā€” for $13.50 each way. Notably, thatā€™s way up from the $6.49 I paid on that first flight to Florida in 2018.

Wait ā€” but since Allegiant is charging for carry-ons, wouldnā€™t they know how many bags were coming on board and ensure there was enough space? Probably. However, thatā€™s not to say that the open bin space you seek will be located anywhere near your assigned seat. Thus, in order to avoid a scenario where I might need to swim upstream to retrieve my bag after landing, Iā€™ll admit that Iā€™ve always ponied up for priority.

Selecting a boarding pass option

Yet another question that will affect your final flight price is how will you be checking in? If you plan to print your boarding pass at home or use their mobile option, you will not have to pay any additional fees. However, if youā€™d like to have an agent print a boarding pass for you once you arrive at the airport, this will cost you an extra $5. For me the choice was easy and I had no problems using the Allegiant app and my mobile boarding pass.

Trip Flex, changing fees, pet fees, checking out

Finally, Allegiant offers a service called Trip Flex that allows you to change your flight plans without incurring change fees. For the dummy flight I punched up, this option would have been $86  ā€” although this depends on your flight. Without Trip Flex, changes would result in a $75 per passenger, per way fee. 

Personally, Iā€™ve declined this option each time but those who fear a change may be necessary might find it useful. Also keep in mind that, in adherence to federal law, you are able to change or cancel your booking up to 24 hours after you make it without incurring a penalty (as long as your flight is more than seven days away from the time you book).

Another option I recently noticed is a ā€œPet in Cabinā€ fee. For a flat fee of $50 per pet, per flight, you can bring your pet on board with you. Note that Allegiant currently only allows dogs and cats onboard and youā€™ll need to adhere to a list of specific rules. As youā€™d expect the last step of booking your Allegiant trip is entering your credit card information. If youā€™re in the market for a new credit card, you can also save a few dollars by signing up for their Allegiant Allways Rewards card ā€” although beware the $59 annual fee. Otherwise just enter your existing credit card info, accept the terms and conditions, and clip ā€œpurchase my tripā€ to seal your booking. Iā€™ve actually used my American Express Platinum to book flights so I earned 5x Membership Rewards points.

Allegiant seating chart

ā€œAllegiant Extraā€

Something I noticed when booking a trip to Las Vegas back in very early 2020 (pre-pandemic) was an option called ā€œAllegiant Extra.ā€ Incidentally, this option was only being offered on my return flight, not my outbound. Looking further into it, it seems that Allegiant Extra is a feature the company has been testing out but has only equipped a few of its crafts to support it.

So, with that preamble, what is Allegiant Extra? It could almost be described as a new class of service for the airline. Allegiant Extra seats occupy the first few rows of the aircraft and apparently feature at least 6ā€ of additional legroom. Plus, booking Allegiant Extra entitles you to priority boarding, a free in-flight beverage, and dedicated overhead bin space.

While Iā€™m sure prices vary just like with many other Allegiant fees, on my flight, the cost for Allegiant Extra was around $48 per person. For comparison, my typical row 6 seat on my outbound flight was $22. And although Iā€™m not 100% sure if the priority boarding that comes with Extra is the same as Priority Access, you can probably factor the $13.49 you would have paid for that service into your consideration of whether this makes sense for you.

Since seeing Allegiant Extra offered on that one flight that I later had to cancel, Iā€™ve not yet to see it pop back up. But, if I see it again, Iā€™ll be very interested to try it outā€¦ if itā€™s still a thing.

Allegiant Allways Rewards screenshot

Allways Rewards

In summer 2021, Allegiant introduced its own loyalty program called Allways Rewards. Unlike most airline programs that reward you in miles or offer elite status, Allways Rewards (yes, with two ā€˜lā€™s like ā€œAllegiantā€) bills itself as the first air carrier loyalty program geared towards leisure travelers. Sure enough, the program is pretty simple to participate in and benefit from.

Hereā€™s how it works: for every dollar you spend on Allegiant.com, youā€™ll earn 1 point. This rate is doubled to 2 points per dollar spent on Allegiant itineraries over $500 booked on the site. These points are credited to your account within 72 hours of the completion of your trip. Then, they can be redeemed at a rate of 1Ā¢ per point on future Allegiant bookings. Whatā€™s nice is that these redemptions start at just $1 and you can select how many of your points you want to use.

I actually had a chance to try an Allways Rewards redemption already as Allegiant gifted me with 2,000 upon the programā€™s launch for being a previous flyer. So, when I went to book my flight to Las Vegas, I had $20 I could use toward my total. Although I elected to use all $20, I could also easily adjust the amount I wanted to redeem. Meanwhile, since I spent just over $500 on our flights, I should earn 1,000 (redeemable for $10) once we complete our trip.

On that note, another thing that makes Allways Rewards a bit different from other frequent flyer programs is that the person buying the tickets earns the points as opposed to them applying to each passenger. That works well for us as weā€™re able to essentially pool our rewards and redeem them together whereas, with other programs like SkyMiles, we may end up needing to book rewards flights separately. Of course, Iā€™m aware that this will actually be a drawback in some situations ā€” but gives you the incentive to be the friend who pays for the booking upfront, I guess.

All in all, I think Allways Rewards is a great addition and will be a program that anyone who flies the airline more than once will be able to benefit from.

Allways Rewards Mastercard

As I briefly mentioned earlier, Allegiant also offers its own credit card. With the Allways Rewards card (formerly the Allegiant World Mastercard), youā€™ll enjoy complimentary priority boarding for you and others on your itinerary as well as one free drink per flight. Youā€™ll also earn 3 Allways Rewards points per dollar spent on Allegiant purchases, 2x points on qualifying dining purchases, and 1x points on all other purchases. Plus, you can take advantage of ā€œbuy one, get one free airfareā€ anytime you use your card to purchase a vacation package from Allegiant with four or more hotel nights or seven or more rental car days on the same itinerary. However, the card does carry a $59 annual fee.

At the time Iā€™m writing this, the  Allways Rewards Mastercard is also offering a welcome bonus of 15,000 points (worth $150) when you spend $1,000 on the card within your first 90 days. That said, on past Allegiant flights Iā€™ve been on, theyā€™ve made announcements for a special 17,500 point offer.

Personally, while Iā€™ve mostly written off the Allegiant card in my mind, it actually might make sense for us the more we fly them. For example, with Priority Access costing us $27 per flight ($13.49 per person, at last check), weā€™d nearly recover the $59 annual fee if we used this perk for just one roundtrip in a year ā€” just add in a drink or two and weā€™d be there! 

Meanwhile, the downsides would be that Iā€™d miss out on the 5x points from my Amex if I were to book with the Allegiant card and the fact that you can only use the earned points for Allegiant purchases. Still, with the bonus offer and the cardā€™s benefits, perhaps itā€™s at least worth considering if youā€™re a frequent Allegiant flyer.

Flying with Allegiant

When it comes to Allegiant Air, the differences from major carriers donā€™t stop with the booking process. In fact, some of the most noticeable differences come when you arrive at the airport and board your flight.

Boarding process

Admittedly I still havenā€™t become too well versed in Allegiantā€™s boarding process considering that Iā€™ve sprung for priority access each time (#BusinessTripWriteoff). That said, it seems that they utilize boarding groups like most other airlines. When flying to Sanford, passengers would just line up once their boarding group was called but, returning from Sanford, they had a few lines already set up for each group. This is the only time Iā€™ve seen these lines set up, so it may either be specific to that airport or no longer be in practice.

The seats

Allegiantā€™s fleet is outfitted with leather seats that, to me, appeared to be a bit thinner on padding than most airline seats Iā€™ve experienced. Meanwhile, the legroom in my standard seat seemed about normal and posed no issue. However, it should be noted that I am not a large man ā€” neither in weight or height ā€” so, unfortunately, Iā€™m not really the right person to fully assess the comfortability of Allegiantā€™s seats. Still, for my less than three-hour flight, I was content.

I will also say that a hidden benefit of Allegiant not equipping its seats with features like charging ports means thereā€™s far less clutter under the seats. This not only allows my bag to fit better but, in turn, also affords me a better space with which to stretch my legs. In all honesty, this is something I actually prefer about Allegiant over some other planes Iā€™ve been on ā€” although be sure to bring an external charger if you want to ensure your device is powered up for your flight.

Food and beverage

If youā€™re one of those travelers that canā€™t wait to hit cruising altitude so you can get your complimentary tomato juice, I have some bad news for you regarding Allegiant. While the airline does offer a number of snack and beverage options while onboard, each of these comes at a price. For example, cans of Coke go for $3.99 a pop (pun intended). Each of these purchases must be made with a credit card as they do not accept cash. In short, if you want to munch or sip during your flight, you might want to pack some snacks and fill a water bottle before boarding.

In-flight crew

To be honest, Iā€™ve had nothing but positive interactions with the gate and in-flight crew while traveling with Allegiant. In fact, on my flight home from Orlando that first time, one passenger had some medical issues arise and the crew proceeded to take good care of her, handling the whole thing very professionally. On other flights Iā€™ve taken since, Iā€™ve found the crew to be equally as personable and pleasant.

I suspect that some passengers who arenā€™t prepared to pay for water or arenā€™t happy with where they need to stick their luggage might take it out on these crew members. If thatā€™s the case, itā€™s a real shame considering what lovely people the workers of the airline seem to be. While Iā€™m sure everyone has bad days and there are some crew members who are better than others, I personally have nothing to complain about in this category.

Pro Tips for Flying Allegiant

Like I said, Iā€™ve now flown on Allegiant a few times. As a result, Iā€™ve come across a few ā€œproā€ tips to be aware of that could save you either time or hassle:

Allegiant seat selection

1) If youā€™re going to pay for a seat and carry-on, start with row 6

Look, Iā€™m the type of person who likes to sit as close as possible to the front of the plane so I can get the hell off ASAP. Sadly, this instinct is often compromised by the fact that I travel with an additional bag Iā€™ll need to access during the flight. In other words, the bulkhead (row one) is ruled out as thereā€™s no seat in front of you to place such personal items.

Thatā€™s why, one flight back from L.A., I snagged a seat in row three. The problem here was that, as soon as I boarded, I noticed the overhead was already closed. It turns out that the first two bins on each side of the plane are reserved for emergency supplies as well as the luggage that passengers in the aforementioned bulkhead carry on.

Obviously this wouldnā€™t be a big deal except that it means trying to fight the crowd to grab my bag behind us. Thatā€™s why, on our next trip to Vegas, I made sure to select seats no closer than row six, as this is where the first available overhead bin was located. This plan worked like a charm and helped facilitate my goal of exiting the plane as quickly as possible upon landing.

2) Donā€™t forget to enter your known traveler number

Booking my first flight on Allegiant since joining Global Entry, I realized after the fact that I hadnā€™t entered my known traveler number (KTN). Leaving this piece of information off of my reservation would mean I wouldnā€™t be able to access the TSA Preāœ“ line at the airport. After panicking for a moment, I headed back to the Allegiant site to try to correct the mistakeā€¦ only to worry more as I couldnā€™t locate where I was to enter this info.

Eventually, I did find that I could add my KTN by going to the ā€œWho Will Be Traveling?ā€ screen (step two), next to where the ā€œSpecial Assistanceā€ and ā€œPets/Service Animalā€ tabs are. Additionally, you can save your KTN to your Allegiant account profile so that it will be automatically applied to future entries.

Hopefully you can properly save your KTN to your reservation and, if you do, a TSA Preāœ“ logo will appear on your mobile boarding pass. If it doesnā€™t you may want to double check that you entered it properly or contact the airline. Remember: TSA is unlikely to let you through the Preāœ“ queue unless your actual reservation shows youā€™re a member.

3) You may only need one priority access

As Iā€™ve noted, my main motivation for purchasing priority access (P.A.) is to ensure that my carry-on is located in the bin above my seat. Despite this being the goal, Iā€™ve ended up buying P.A. for my wife and myself on each of our flights. Then it occurred to me that, in theory, only one of us needs this upgrade as they can take the carry-on, stow it, and take their seat while waiting for the other.

Of course, this either means sticking my wife with the bag or ditching her at the gate. In other words, your mileage may vary with this plan (how much is that $27 really worth to you?). Still, if youā€™re traveling in a group and not everyone is bringing their own carry-on, itā€™s definitely worth considering just how many P.A. upgrades you really need.

Allegiant Review - In flight - Booking - Overall experience

My Experiences Flying Allegiant and More on the Airline

Allegiant Air Customer Accommodations Voucher

My delay and compensation story

At this point, Iā€™ve taken several flights with Allegiant and had mostly positive experiences. However, on a recent trip to Las Vegas, I got to see a bit of what happens when things go wrong and how the airline handles it.

We were set to fly from SGF to LAS at around 8:30 p.m. one night in January. When I woke up that morning, I saw that our flight had been delayed by about an hour. Obviously that wasnā€™t a huge deal but, a few hours later, we got another alert that our plane would now depart at 2:30 a.m. the following morning. Being curious, I did some tracking and saw that the plane that was set to come our way was more or less on time leaving Tulsa for Las Vegas so I wasnā€™t sure why it was going to be on the ground at McCarran for so long.

To their credit, this notification came several hours ahead of the bumped departure, which meant we werenā€™t waiting at the gate while they moved the time back further and further. However, normally in these situations, it is advised that you arrive at the gate at your original departure time as the airline can pull the time up without notice. That said, continuing my tracking, I could see that our inbound plane still hadnā€™t departed. We ended up getting to the airport well ahead of that 2:30 a.m. departure but we would have been cutting it close if our plane really did miraculously leave on time.

Since our tiny airport isnā€™t used to such late departures, the TSA employees were forced to stay late as well. It was from them that we heard the delay was due to a crewing issue ā€” although no one from Allegiant ever offered an explanation (I also never asked, for the record). In fact, none of the crew ever really even acknowledged the fact that leaving in the middle of the night was not the plan nor was there ever really a verbal apology. This struck me as a bit odd but, really, what would a ā€œsorryā€ really do?

As it turns out, Allegiant actually did end up apologizing in another way: by providing us compensation. After awakening from what would probably best be described as a nap (since we got to our hotel at around 5 a.m.), I checked my inbox to find that the airline had sent me two $50 vouchers ā€” one for my ticket and one for my wifeā€™s ā€” good for one year. I was honestly quite shocked by this gesture, especially since our base fare for the flight was only slightly more than that amount.

We actually booked another trip to Las Vegas via Allegiant sometime after and, sure enough, the vouchers worked. At check out, all I needed to do was copy and paste the code for each and the $50 came right off. So, while it sucked missing out on a night at our hotel room (although I was sure glad to have it ready when we arrived in the morning), I have to say that I thought Allegiant did a decent job of making it up to us.

Cancelations

Given Allegiantā€™s limited flight schedule, what happens if your flight needs to be canceled? My dad had the misfortune of finding out a few months back when the weather in his destination and departure cities led the airline to nix the flight. Unlike most airlines that might rebook you for the next flight, the next flight in this case wasnā€™t for several days ā€” leading him to make other arrangements.

In the end, they ended up getting a cash refund for the flight plus $100 per person in future flight credits for Allegiant. Unfortunately, that bonus still didnā€™t cover the extra expense associated with booking him on a different airline for a flight home the following day. So, while flying Allegiant is convenient when it works, be aware that cancelations do happen. Therefore, it may be good to have a backup plan should weather (or other problems) start to look like an issue.

Safety incidents

If you Google news stories about Allegiant, amid stories about the new stadium in Las Vegas bearing their name, you may also come across reports regarding various incidents. Perhaps most notably, the safety concerns in an episode of CBSā€™s 60 Minutes. This segment reported that the airline had experienced 100 incidents including aborted takeoffs, unscheduled landings, and in-flight engine issues between January 2016 and October 2017. Despite these troubles, the airline has never experienced a fatal crash in its near 20-year history. 

Obviously safety is extremely important when it comes to air travel. Thus, these reports have rightfully concerned some flyers. It seems that Allegiant has continued to work through these issues as they also expand their operations. Most importantly, the company has now retired all of the old MD-80 planes that presented the majority of these issues and now flies an all-Airbus fleet (at the time of the 60 Minutes segment, 30% of their planes were MD-80s). The FAA has also taken on greater oversight of the company as Allegiant is now the nationā€™s 11th largest carrier.

Thankfully, Iā€™ve never encountered any of these maintenance issues with Allegiant and I am obviously comfortable flying with them. Still it is important to make note of these reports.

Allegiant logo

Ranking Allegiant on stats

As I noted, Allegiant has been growing in the time Iā€™ve been flying with them. With the airline now publicly reporting their operational performance statistics, they were included in The Wall Street Journalā€™s ranking of ā€œthe best and worstā€ domestic carriers for the first time in 2019. Overall, Allegiant placed fourth behind Delta, Alaska, and Southwest. The airline also had the best record regarding mishandled bags and was second in terms of canceled flights, as well as two-hour tarmac delays. And while you might assume a budget airline that charges for everything including a glass of water might get hit with complaints, their sixth-place rank still put them ahead of Spirit, Frontier, and American. 

How has the airline performed in these rankings more recently? WSJā€™s 2023 edition actually saw Allegiant jump to third place overall. This included repeating placements in terms of mishandled bags (#1), two-hour tarmac delays (#2), and canceled flights (#2). Furthermore, Allegiant placed first in the ā€œinvoluntary bumpingā€ category, with the Journal stating that the airline did not involuntarily bump a single passenger.

To be honest, Iā€™m not 100% sure what to make of these particular rankings but it is interesting to see how Allegiant compares in certain measurable ways.

Benefits for active duty military and veterans

Ever since I posted my original review of Allegiant, one of the comments Iā€™ve received most often is about how the airline honors members of our military. As part of a program called Allegiant Honors, U.S. active and reserve duty military and military veterans of the seven uniformed services are offered several free benefits, such as complimentary carry-on and checked luggage (with limitations). Additionally, qualifying service members will enjoy early boarding and can make changes/cancellations to their itineraries without a fee. To learn more about these great benefits and more, be sure to visit the Allegiant Honors page.

Final Thoughts on Allegiant Air

Overall I have to say that my experiences flying Allegiant have been quite positive. Even with the additional fees and upgrades I allow myself to splurge on, my total costs have regularly come in at less than half of what Iā€™d spend on other airlines. Plus, while I donā€™t mind layovers on the whole, having a direct flight is a breath of fresh air.

As far as traveling on a budget airline, considering that Iā€™m not big on eating or drinking while in flight and donā€™t really have leg room requirements, there was really nothing for me to dislike about my flights. In my initial review, I did note there was some noticeable wear and tear along with some dinge on the plane I took to Sanford. However, Iā€™ve since learned that that model plane was one of those older ones that have since been decommissioned. Thus, during my flights to L.A. and Vegas, I havenā€™t noticed any such issues, with both planes looking clean and welcoming.

To conclude, Iā€™ve really enjoyed flying Allegiant Air so far. That said I will likely keep purchasing the same upgrades Iā€™ve indulged in previously ā€” although I might forgo a carry-on if Iā€™m taking another short trip. On the other hand, itā€™s nice to know that some of these add-on fees can be passed over if I so choose. For that reason, Iā€™d recommend checking out Allegiant the next time you need to fly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Allegiant Air
Q:
Where does Allegiant fly?Ā 
A:

Allegiant flies to a number of destinations including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Austin, Portland, Sanford, Florida (near Orlando), and elsewhere. Flights to these destinations are offered from a number of regional and national airports, with a full list available on their route map.

Q:
Does Allegiant have WiFi?Ā 
A:

Unfortunately, Allegiantā€™s fleet is not currently equipped with WiFi services.

Q:
Is a backpack a personal item on Allegiant?
A:

A backpack can be considered a personal item on Allegiant depending on the size. All personal items must fit under the seat in front of you as overhead bin space is reserved for paid carry-ons.

Q:
Can I bring my own snacks on Allegiant?Ā 
A:

Passengers are allowed to bring their own snacks on board Allegiant flights. However, no passenger may drink an alcoholic beverage that is not served to them by an Allegiant crew member.

Q:
Does Allegiant have phone chargers?Ā 
A:

Allegiant aircrafts are not equipped with power outlets for passengers.

Q:
Is water free on Allegiant?Ā 
A:

All beverages, including water, are paid on Allegiant. 

Author

Kyle Burbank

Founder ~ Moneyat30
Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com. In 2015, Kyle and his wife Bekah moved from Los Angeles to Springfield MO in pursuit of greater financial freedom. Together, the pair enjoy travel, coffee, and spending time with their dog Rigby. Additionally, as of 2023, they become first-time homeowners.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

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Sam's Club Scan & Go AI cameras

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The Essential Guide to Saving Money When You Move

Are you thinking about moving because of a new job or just need a change in scenery? Depending on where you live, relocation could save a bundle in the long run. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of tasks as well as upfront expenses required in order to make a move...

travelled with Allegiant couple of times and being a budget airline, it can be perfect with short notice trips and only with carry-on bags.

While in Palm Springs, I fell and had an accident which caused a concussion. I fell the day I was supposed to be flying back to Bellingham Airport with Allegiant Air. I missed the flight due to my fall. When I called Allegiant Air the next day to see if I could re-book the flight I was informed that I had forfeited my ticket and had to purchase a new one If I wanted to get back home. I was upset, yet it seemed like there was nothing I could do. Unfortunately my wallet got stolen the same day I fell, so I had to cancel all of my credit cards etc. The C/C company was great though! They Fed-Ex’ed my cards to the hotel as fast as they could. They also told me that the airline could contact them at a special number and they could charge my new account number.
The staff at Allegiant Air told me “NO”, “We do NOT call C/C companies” !! At this point I was in tears because my head hurt, my wallet was stolen and I felt awful. I asked this lady operator if they could make an exception since I purchased my other tickets with the same C/C company and that I had no other way of purchasing my tickets. I also told the operator at Allegiant Air (who are based out of Las Vegas) that I had a really bad week and I just wanted to get home. She told me lots of people have bad weeks and hers wasn’t great either but that they do not call C/C companies. I aksed to speak to a supervisor and she told me that at Allegiant Air there are no supervisors at the call centre. I was in tears and asked what she could help me with because all I seemed to be getting was no help. The operator told me to either purchase the tickets with someone else’s C/C or at the Palm Springs Airport. I asked her if she had the number for the location at the Palm Springs Airport. She did not give me the number for the wicket at the Airport and she then informed me that the location was not open for the next two days. At this point I hung up and was left feeling that I would never fly Allegiant Air EVER AGAIN once I got home.
My mother ended up purchasing the tickets for me. When we were supposed to leave Palm Springs, Allegiant Air cancelled their flight due to the snow in Bellingham Airport. There was no one at the airport to let us know! Allegiant Air had a sign up telling us this, along with note saying that a flight may be leaving for Bellingham the following day at 11:30 am. They also gave us a number to call that was long distance in Las Vegas. One lady said she was on hold for 2 hours with them. So we had to go back to the hotel and stay another night. Nothing was refunded to us. The next day at the airport some of the staff were helpful but still others were quite rude answering our questions. We finally got back to Bellingham with a pretty scary landing! All I can say is I will never fly Allegiant Air again! I think others should hear this so they are aware of how Allegiant Air treats customers! Fly WestJet or Alaska Air, I’ve never had problems with them!

Hi Monty, that sounds like a truly horrible experience. I’m glad you finally made it home but I completely understand why you would never fly Allegiant again. Thanks for sharing.
Kyle

Worst airline ever! They closed the door early because they did not have enough staff, leaving over 10 passengers with missed flights. The agent left the gate to board another flight, told us to wait then she would help us. Another employee left to get coffee and there we waited. Cancelled our return flight and gave no compensation after wasting 4 hours on hold and in discussions with poor customer service reps. Had to buy a ticket on American Airlines for over $500.

I flew Allegiant Airline on March 22 2019..to Norfolk Va. When arriving in Norfolk I find out that my luggage never reach..Well let me back up a little. When I was boarding I was told that my bag would have to go under plane. So the airline attendant took my bag and said I would get a claim ticket. Which I never received. As I was deplaning I was told My bag would be at baggage claim And that I didn’t need a claim ticket..So as I stated my bag never arrived..When I went to the counter to ask questions . No one was there.. I waited a hour or more…Finally when a customer service person arrived there was nothing they could do or tell me it was out of there hands…They had to take my number and someone would contact me. Finally around 12noon after all my flight landed in Norfolk at 8:30 am..Tina a loss baggage representative from Allegiant called and I was speaking to her about my frustration ,Tina became so combative I couldn’t believe it..Tina had no compassion about my frustration..Tina was actually screaming at me you are going to get your luggage maybe you should have put your luggage under the plane from the beginning. I was in shock by the treatment I was receiving..I will never fly with Allegiant ever again. I received my bag the next day.. I can’t begin to tell you how helpless I feel and to be spoken in that matter is ridiculous..

As Iā€™m sitting here at the airport at 3:49pm waiting on my 10:32am flight, I just found out itā€™s delayed again for another 2 hours. How can a flight from Destin/Fort Walton Beach to Springfield, MO and back, the only flights for the day, be delayed so long. We were supposed to land there at 12:30. Livid There goes day one at our $600 a day gulf front house.

I like Allegaint air but I hate there non stop delay if your flight is scheduled to leave at 7:30 you get to the airport 2 hours before, just to see that you flight is delayed by 2 hours and this happens all the time for the pass two years so I pay a bit more and went to another airlines delta are the best you pay more but you leave on time and get where you want to get on time , not 3-4 hours later like allegaint Air they are the worst.

As someone who flies Allegiant frequently between Michigan and Florida, I don’t bother to check any other carriers anymore. I am flying to Florida this weekend (Dec 14, 2019). $60.00 total cost. 2 hour 20 minute nonstop GRR to PIE ( Grand Rapids, MI to Clearwater/ St. Pete for rookie flyers ?). Nothing but great flights and service from Allegiant. As a veteran I receive free baggage check-in and free priority boarding. Allegiant is constantly expanding destinations. Can’t beat it. Loyal Allegiant customer for several years.

One more note, we just learned hard way: Allegiant checked bag weight limit is 40#, vs. other carriers’ 50#. We were charged an extra $50 for our 49# bag, wiping out most of our savings over flying Southwest.

One thing you didn’t mention is that Allegiant honors veterans with special perks. They can bring an extra bag with no luggage charges among other things. My husband was in the reserves in the 60s and we got a refund for charges because he didn’t know ahead of time.

On JR Steele comment they did that to me on a 5lb medical bag, if cause my son had a medical emergency with his diabetes. Problem was the bag was able to fit into my carry on. Complained to Allegiant they just ignored the situation let the situation go being Allegiant is in bankruptcy and probably need the money more than I not meaning I did not have that money budged out for my trip but after arguing with them several times it was sure to see I was not getting my money back. So people make sure you get everything in one bag including your purse or you pay extra.

Allegiant also charges what one might consider a substantial fee for using a credit card at check out. When questioned about this, Allegiant stated tickets could be paid for in cash at the airport. However, with a limited flight schedule their ticket counters are only manned close to scheduled flight times. So yes, a lot of add on fees to be aware of. Otherwise, Allegiant provides a good traveling experience.

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