dailynewsnblog
Orlando Sanford International (SFB) is one of three airports serving Orlando. It is dwarfed by Orlando International Airport (MCO), but outranks Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) in traffic. A key reason behind the sustainability of Sanford’s operations is the huge presence of Allegiant Air. In fact, Sanford is Allegiant’s top airport by departing flights, with 578 next month.
According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, Allegiant Air is set to operate some nine new routes out of Orlando Sanford International Airport in September compared to the same month in the previous year.
Nine New Routes
Of the nine new routes that Allegiant Air is operating out of Sanford this September compared to the same period last year, the notable exception in terms of frequency is the corridor to La Crosse, Wisconsin. Indeed, it will serve this route just twice next month, on September 3 and 6. Meanwhile, its eight other new routes will each be served eight times this September, reflecting twice-weekly ops.
The destinations for these corridors are Albany, New York; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Columbia, Missouri; Huntsville, Alabama; Key West, Florida; Little Rock, Arkansas; Omaha, Nebraska; and Toledo, Ohio. Drew Wells, the Chief Commercial Officer of Allegiant Air, welcomed this expansion in a statement earlier this month.
“These new routes reflect the flexibility of our unique business model, allowing us to respond to demand and provide more options during peak leisure periods.”
Allegiant’s Overall September Capacity Is Up 8% In Sanford
The addition of these nine new routes has contributed to impressive year-on-year growth at SFB in Allegiant Air’s overall operations at the Florida facility. Indeed, its aforementioned total of 578 departures from the airport this month represents a 7.6% year-on-year uptick compared to last September’s figure of 537. Meanwhile, seat capacity is up by 8.1%.
Seat growth outpacing flight growth suggests Allegiant Air is deploying larger aircraft on flights out of SFB than this time last year. Ongoing deliveries of the Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 are likely playing a key role here. Available seat miles are also up by an even greater factor of 11.3%, meaning that these jets are also operating longer routes.
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That isn’t to say Allegiant Air hasn’t made any cuts at SFB. Crucially, however, the routes that it has shelved are vastly outweighed by the additional capacity of its newer corridors. Just two Allegiant Air routes out of Sanford that were served last September have not returned this time around: Columbia, South Carolina, and Niagara Falls, New York.
Sanford Isn’t The Only Base Where Allegiant Is Growing
Elsewhere in Florida, Allegiant Air is also set to operate multiple new routes out of 
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) next month compared to last September. New routes it will now serve from this facility include Albany, Allentown, Appletown, Atlantic City, Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, Greenville, Plattsburgh, and Trenton.
Allegiant’s Top 5 Airports By September Departures | |
|---|---|
Airport | Flights |
Orlando Sanford | 578 |
Las Vegas | 486 |
St. Petersburg | 486 |
Phoenix-Mesa | 339 |
Punta Gorda | 310 |
Further west, Allegiant Air is also experiencing considerable growth at Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) near Phoenix, Arizona, so much so that it is now its fourth-busiest airport by departing flights. Among the new destinations the carrier is serving from here next month, compared to last September, are Cincinnati, Fort Wayne, La Crosse, Moline, Orange County, and St. Cloud.
