Low cost carrier Allegiant Air has a new destination in its crosshairs: Mexico.
This week, the Las Vegas-based carrier announced that it was filing for permission to fly from the United States to an unnamed destination in Mexico. If the paperwork comes together, this will be the first international destination that the low cost carrier serves and a strong competitor to legacy service that currently dominates the market.
Allegiant Air initially gained traction in the United States by flying from mid-market destinations such as Gulfport, MS and Laredo, TX to popular vacation spots like Las Vegas or Orlando, offering semi-regular service built specifically for holiday travelers. The planned routes to Mexico will be no different. “Unlike other U.S. carriers, Allegiant has always been laser-focused on leisure travel and providing access to affordable, non-stop flights for those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to go on vacation,” said Maury Gallagher, Allegiant’s CEO in the announcement. “Offering service to Mexico will provide a whole new array of options for travelers to discover world-class destinations that may have been previously out of reach.”
Given the carrier’s strategy, it’s likely that service will end up running from a secondary-market city in the United States to a leisure destination in Mexico such as Cancun or Cabo San Lucas, popular spots for the spring break crowd. So far, however, Allegiant has been tight-lipped about its plans