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The commercial aviation industry has changed drastically over the years. What was once seen as a luxury that could only be used by the ultra-wealthy has now become increasingly accessible, evolving into a global network that connects billions of passengers and tons of cargo each year. In recent decades, the low-cost carrier business segment has transformed how passengers across the world travel. Low-cost carriers have stripped the many frills once considered standard, and now focus instead on cost control, streamlined operations, and high-volume, point-to-point traffic. These low-cost airlines have made flying more accessible to a broader range of people. Specifically, the US sees significant travel numbers from its low-cost carriers. Let's take a closer look at the airline that recently won the award for best low-cost carrier in the United States: Allegiant Air. A Look At The World's Best Low-Cost Airlines Awards Every year, Skytrax gives airlines around the world various awards in different categories, which are called the World Airline Awards. The Skytrax World Airline Awards offer a closer look at how the global aviation industry stacks up in the eyes of passengers. Originally founded in 1999, the program polls millions of travelers and covers hundreds of airlines around the world. One of these categories features several different awards focused on airlines in the low-cost carrier segment. In 2025, AirAsia was named the world's best low-cost carrier for the 16th consecutive year. The airline beat out Scoot, IndiGo, Eurowings, Vueling Airlines, and Volotea, among others, helping it retain its title. However, these awards are also broken into several more concise awards for low-cost carriers. For example, the award for the world's best long-haul low-cost airline was awarded to Scoot, while Eurowings won the award for best low-cost carrier in Europe. However, the award for best low-cost carrier in North America was awarded to Allegiant Air. This market is extremely competitive, with Allegiant Air edging out Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Air Canada Rouge, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Avelo Airlines, among many others. Why Allegiant Air Won America's Best Low-Cost Airline Award In 2025 Earlier this year, Allegiant Air was named the best low-cost airline in North America by Skytrax. 2025 was the second consecutive year that Allegiant Air won this award, recognizing the airline for its outstanding customer service. The Chief Executive Officer and President of Allegiant Air, Gregory C. Anderson, spoke about the prestigious award. Anderson stated, "It's such an honor to receive this award once again. We strive to provide our customers with a seamless, comfortable and convenient travel experience, and this recognition validates our efforts. As a leisure-focused airline, our unique business model bridges the gap in connecting small-to-medium-sized cities to premier vacation destinations. This accolade is a testament to the hard work of our team members and acknowledges Allegiant's long history of providing exceptional service at unbeatable value for our customers." Skytrax determined that Allegiant Air was the best low-cost airline in North America after conducting the world's largest airline passenger satisfaction survey. Over 22.3 million surveys were counted in the 2025 results, surveying passengers around the world from September 2024 through May 2025. A Brief History Of Allegiant Air Allegiant Air was founded in 1997. Originally, the airline was founded as WestJet Express, although it was renamed to Allegiant Air after losing a trademark dispute with WestJet Airlines of Calgary, Alberta. It received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to begin domestic scheduled and charter operations, although it also has the authority to conduct charter operations to Canada and Mexico. The airline began scheduled operations on October 15, 1998. Allegiant Air's first flight connected Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, to Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) in California. However, by the end of the 1990s, Allegiant Air had expanded to fly to Burbank, California, and Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The airline struggled during the early 2000s, eventually filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2000. However, this allowed Maurice Gallagher Jr. to take control of the airline, turning Allegiant Air into a low-cost carrier and focusing on smaller markets. Gallagher also moved the headquarters to Las Vegas, Nevada. Throughout the rest of the 2000s, Allegiant Air expanded rapidly, flying to smaller markets around the US. Currently, the airline operates bases from the following airports: A Closer Look At The Allegiant Air Fleet In 2025 Allegiant Air began operating as a scheduled carrier with several McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft, although these were retired in 2002. Later, Allegiant Air replaced these aircraft with variants from the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 family. The airline also briefly operated six Boeing 757 aircraft from 2010 to 2017. Currently, Allegiant Air flies a total of 132 aircraft, all of which are narrowbody aircraft. The airline is also looking to expand its fleet further, as it has an active order for an additional 34 Boeing 737 MAX 8-200s. According to ch-aviation, the airline flies the following aircraft in its fleet: Each of these aircraft is a narrowbody, which is focused on flying mostly domestic operations around the United States. Its oldest aircraft type is the Airbus A319. According to ch-aviation, these aircraft have an average age of 20.3 years. The airline's A320-200 fleet is slightly younger, with an average age of 15.2 years. Allegiant Air also flies the Boeing 737 MAX 8-200, the high-density configuration of the aircraft that was originally developed for Ryanair. The airline only operates 16 of these, although it has an additional 34 on order. Where Allegiant Air Flies Allegiant Air operates one of the most unique route networks in the United States. Instead of competing with major carriers on dense business routes, the airline focuses on connecting small and mid-sized cities to some of the country's most popular vacation and leisure destinations. This helps travelers find affordable and direct flights to popular destinations, especially those who would otherwise need a connecting flight. Overall, as of this year, the airline operates more than 600 routes. Allegiant Air's extensive network focuses on resort destinations in states like Florida, Nevada, and Arizona. In Florida alone, Allegiant Air serves multiple airports, including Orlando Sanford (SFB), St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE), Punta Gorda (PGD), Sarasota-Bradenton (SRQ), Destin-Fort Walton Beach (VPS), and Fort Lauderdale (FLL). These destinations offer nonstop flights from smaller Midwest and East Coast cities. Outside of Florida, Las Vegas (LAS) and Phoenix-Mesa (AZA) are the main destinations that Allegiant Air flies to on the West Coast. Additionally, other high-demand vacation spots, such as Nashville (BNA), Savannah (SAV), and Charleston (CHS), are significant destinations for Allegiant Air travelers. Allegiant Air does not operate the traditional hub-and-spoke network, instead operating point-to-point flights. The airline flies frequently from underserved communities with little to no direct competition. Instead, the airline flies these routes only two to three times per week, which helps to keep costs low while maintaining strong demand from travelers seeking affordable vacations. New Routes Allegiant Air Has Recently Introduced Earlier this year, Allegiant Air continued expanding its network. This summer, the airline added seven new nonstop routes to 12 cities across the country. This also included a new destination: Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, Florida. The cities flying to this new destination include Allentown, Pennsylvania, Appleton, Wisconsin, and Des Moines, Iowa. The airline also recently started new routes to Florida destinations beginning in late fall. This includes a nonstop service from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) to Toledo Express Airport (TOL) in Ohio, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) in Indiana, and New Orleans International Airport (MSY) to Punta Gorda Airport (PGD). These routes all begin in late November, perfect opportunities for seasonal travelers. Additionally, Allegiant Air became the sole operator of the newly renovated Gulf Shores International Airport (GUF) in Alabama. Allegiant recently inaugurated Appleton-Gulf Shores and Des Moines-Gulf Shores, each served twice-weekly. Furthermore, Allegiant Air will soon enter another market, flying from Atlantic City (ACY) to Fort Lauderdale, St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE), Orlando-Sanford (SFB), and Punta Gorda (PGD).
