Asheville Regional Airport: Allegiant Air adds nonstop flights to Denver

ASHEVILLE — Allegiant Air plans to add twice-weekly flights from the Asheville Regional Airport to Denver starting later this year.

The Las Vegas-based airline company said Wednesday the flights from Asheville to the Denver International Airport begin May 16. It is the seventh destination Allegiant will offer out of Asheville and one that Airport Director Lew Bleiweis said has been on the community's wish list "for many years."

"I am thrilled that Allegiant has once again shown their commitment to the western North Carolina region by choosing to connect Asheville and Denver, both vibrant and popular destinations," Bleiweis said in a statement to the news media. "We look forward to welcoming locals and visitors alike to the airport on their journeys to and from the Rocky Mountains and Mile-High City."

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Lukas Johnson, Allegiant's senior vice president of commercial, added that the Asheville community has been "very supportive" of the company. In turn, he said the company is "pleased to be able to provide them with ultra-low-cost, convenient service to Denver."

One-way fares on the new route start at $55, the company said.

Asheville's airport primarily hosts five airline chains: American, Allegiant, Delta, Elite and United. It has been reasonably aggressive in adding flights in recent years, such as its new American Airlines flight to the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which begins in June.

The airport surpassed its record for most annual passengers in 2017 with 956,634 passengers. It was the fourth consecutive year the airport has broken its record for passenger utilization.