FLINT, MI -- Vehicle City, meet Music City.

Allegiant Air will begin seasonal flights between Flint and Nashville, Tennessee, June 5, Bishop Airport announced in a news release Tuesday, Jan. 14.

The service gives fliers direct access to a booming tourist destination, where a record 15.8 million people visited during Nashville’s 2018-19 fiscal year, and a bargain price to kick off the service -- as little as $55 one way.

“We are thrilled to continue our growth in Flint,” Drew Wells, Allegiant vice president of planning and revenue, said in the announcement by Bishop. “Nashville is a major hotspot for live music and delectable dining, and we know that area travelers will take advantage of our convenient, ultra-low-cost service to get away to this beautiful city.”

The new flights are scheduled on Mondays and Fridays from June until November, according to Allegiant’s website.

Allegiant’s Nashville service is the latest development in the airline’s continued expansion in Flint. It accounted for about one-third of all departures from the airport in 2019.

In November, Allegiant launched its first flight from Flint to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in Florida, and it also flies from Bishop to Orlando/Sanford, Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers and Tampa Bay/St. Pete. Seasonal flights between Flint and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, restarted Dec. 20, and are scheduled to continue through mid-April.

“Nashville is one of America’s hottest cities right now,” Bishop Director, Nino Sapone said in the airport’s announcement. “It’s not just an amazing and incredibly diverse live music scene, with shows of every genre being performed every night of the week, it has morphed into a great food scene with three professional sports teams, an extensive park system, world renowned attractions, shows, tours and nightlife for every age and type of visitor. This is a fantastic addition to the five nonstop routes Allegiant already has in the market.”

Nashville is home to legendary country music venues like the Grand Ole Opry House, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and historic Ryman Auditorium.

In addition to Allegiant’s increasing presence in Flint, American Airlines also expanded its route map from Bishop in 2019, adding service to Charlotte, North Carolina, the company’s second largest hub and the country’s sixth-busiest airport based on takeoffs and landings.

The new services and expansion of other airline routes are accounting for a sharp increase in available seats during the first quarter of this year in Flint.

The airport says seat availability is up 9.8 percent in January, 36.1 percent in February, and 43.2 percent in March compared to the same months in 2019.

Last April, a consultant told airport officials there were opportunities for new service on the horizon, including Dallas, Denver and Las Vegas.