Allegiant adds service to S.C., offers discount

Allegiant started flying from the Akron-Canton Airport last May. Today, the airline announced its sixth destination from CAK: twice-weekly flights to Orlando Sanford International Airport. launched service from Akron-Canton Airport, starting with flights to South Carolina and Florida. (Susan Glaser/The Plain Dealer)

(Susan Glaser, The Plain Dealer)

GREEN, Ohio - Allegiant Air, the fast-growing, low-cost carrier that serves popular tourist destinations, will start flying between the Akron-Canton Airport and Orlando in May.

The twice-weekly flight - with an introductory rate as low as $39 one way - comes as good news to officials at CAK, who learned late last year that Southwest Airlines would discontinue its nonstop flight to Orlando, as well as several other Florida cities, starting in early April.

"Orlando is our top leisure destination, so we are thrilled that Allegiant will offer nonstop flights to families who prefer to spend their time at the theme park, not at a connecting hub," said airport president and CEO Rick McQueen, in a statement.

Allegiant - known for its cheap fares, high fees and older airplanes - frequently flies into smaller, secondary airports. In central Florida, the airline uses Orlando Sanford International Airport, which is a fraction of the size of Orlando International Airport.

Orlando Sanford is about 25 miles north of downtown Orlando and 45 miles northeast of Disney's Magic Kingdom.

The flight will be offered on Thursdays and Sundays, starting Thursday, May 19. The introductory $39 rate, available on limited flights, must be purchased by Monday, March 14, for travel through Sunday, Nov. 6.

The new Orlando route will be the sixth Allegiant destination from Akron-Canton. Headquartered in Las Vegas, the airline launched service from CAK last May.

(Related story: Allegiant cuts service between Akron-Canton and Fort Lauderdale, starting in mid-August)

The airline also is adding capacity to two existing Akron-Canton routes. Seasonal service to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport resumes in early April and runs through mid-November, with flights three times a week during peak summer travel. Service to Myrtle Beach, which runs May through September, also expands to three times a week during the busy summer season.

The airline also serves Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers-Punta Gorda and St. Petersburg-Clearwater from Akron-Canton.

The Orlando addition at Akron-Canton was part of a larger announcement from Allegiant this morning, which will start 22 new routes this spring. Among the other additions: Toledo to Myrtle Beach and Columbus Rickenbacker to Jacksonville, Florida.

As part of the announcement, Allegiant is giving away free flights to the first 22 seats purchased on each of the 22 new routes, including Akron-Canton to Orlando. The airline, as part of its "$1 Million Summer" campaign, will give a refund for the first 22 seats purchased, based on the timestamp of the transaction. For information: allegiantair.com.