Allegiant Air is cutting a route from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport as part of a broader shake-up that cuts dozens of routes and drops several airports nationwide.
Allegiant Air has cut 61 routes, including a dozen in Florida, and dropped service to seven airports while also adding 49 new routes, eight of them in Florida.
For Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, the news is a loss: Allegiant is dropping its connection to Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in Virginia.
Allegiant is a familiar presence in the Sarasota region, carrying travelers year-round through the airport. The airline has long worked with Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to promote travel to Sarasota and Manatee counties, including a partnership with Visit Sarasota County in early 2025.
In late May, Allegiant Air and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport reached a milestone when the airport announced it had served its 5 millionth Allegiant passenger. The traveler, on Flight No. 2982 from McGhee Tyson Airport in Tennessee, received free Allegiant flights for a year on May 22.
“The partnership between SRQ and Allegiant has been instrumental in the airport’s continued growth and success over the past several years. Celebrating 5 million Allegiant passengers since 2018 is an incredible milestone, and we appreciate Allegiant’s commitment to providing affordable and accessible travel options for our community,” said Paul Hoback, President and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, in a statement published on SRQ’s website.
Although Allegiant Air reported strong first-quarter earnings, the ultra-low-cost carrier has recently dropped seven airports and eliminated 61 routes, including a dozen in Florida, according to aviation publication Simple Flying.
However, Allegiant also added 49 routes, including eight in Florida.
Simple Flying compared data from the aviation analysis site OAG from last year to this year to determine Allegiant’s available network for July 2026. In the past few months, Allegiant has dropped service to seven airports: Los Angeles International Airport, Oakland International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Norfolk International Airport, Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Grand Forks International Airport and San Diego International Airport.
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The first four accounted for 43% of the cut flights, Simple Flying reported.
Why is Allegiant dropping airports, flights?
Although Allegiant reported an increase of 9.6% in operating revenue year over year in its most recent earnings call, the carrier expects its second-quarter capacity to be down 6.5% due to the ongoing situation in Iran and the blocked Strait of Hormuz, and increased airport capital project costs, Inc.com reported.
Which Allegiant flights are being canceled in Florida?
Which Allegiant flights are being added in Florida?
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Allegiant drops Sarasota airport route in major network shakeup
Reporting by Samantha Gholar and C. A. Bridges, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Samantha Gholar and C. A. Bridges, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
