Allegiant to offer low-cost service to SRQ from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Indianapolis starting in April

Allegiant Air announced Tuesday that it will begin offering year-round, twice weekly nonstop flights in April from Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

Flights from Indianapolis begin April 11 with one-way fares as low as $56. Flights from Pittsburgh also begin April 11 with one-way fares as low as $50. Flights from Cinncinati begin April 13 with fares as low as $48, Bud Hafer, Allegiant manager of airport affairs, announced.

With the addition of Allegiant to its roster, SRQ now hosts seven airlines and offers nonstop flights to 15 cities, said Bob Spencer, chairman of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority.

“This will offer a great experience for passengers at a price point that was not previously available in our market,” Spencer said.

Spencer and Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, said the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Visit Sarasota helped bring Allegiant to SRQ.

“Without their participation, it would have been much more difficult to accomplish this,” Spencer said.

“Coming on the heels of new destinations announced in November and December, we believe the that the airline community is recognizing the tremendous growth of the Manatee and Sarasota communities,” Spencer said. “We are confident Bud and his airline will have many opportunities for expansion in the future.”

Elite Airways announced in December that it was beginning nonstop service to Pittsburgh starting Feb. 23.

The three routes announced by Allegiant will bring more than 100,000 passengers annually to the Bradenton-Sarasota area, Hafer said.

Piccolo said SRQ and the Bradenton-Sarasota community have long desired the addition of Allegiant as a local carrier.

“I believe this is just the beginning of a relationship with this new carrier,” Piccolo said.

Allegiant officials said they already have a significant presence in Southwest Florida and have had many requests to offer service at SRQ.

“We have seen so many requests for flights to the Sarasota-Bradenton area, and we’re thrilled to deliver nonstop service from Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh,” Lukas Johnson, Allegiant senior vice president of commercial, said in a press release. “The beautiful beaches and charming coastlines will be sure to attract new and loyal travelers to this Allegiant destination.”

Allegiant’s ultra-low-cost fares will fill a niche the community has been requesting for quite some time, Piccolo said.

Allegiant is based in Las Vegas and shares are traded on NASDAQ at ALGT. The airline was founded with one aircraft and one route in 1999. Allegiant now has more than 80 aircraft and 300 routes.

For more information, visit allegiant.com.

This story was originally published January 9, 2018 at 12:05 PM with the headline "Allegiant to offer low-cost service to SRQ from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Indianapolis starting in April."