Allegiant to launch new twice-weekly nonstop flights between Melbourne and Cincinnati
Allegiant Air is launching new nonstop flights linking Melbourne Orlando International Airport with the Buckeye State — specifically, Cincinnati, Ohio.
The twice-weekly service will start on Nov. 15, featuring flights on Fridays and Mondays. Allegiant announced the MLB-to-CVG connection on Tuesday morning, offering promotional one-way fares as low as $49.
"We're really excited about more flight activity to the Midwest. We, of course, have Minneapolis with Sun Country. But flights into Cincinnati, we think, are going to be extremely popular with the community — and for the people in Cincinnati coming to Melbourne," said Mark Busalacchi, the Melbourne airport's director of business development and marketing.
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Busalacchi pointed out Allegiant's Cincinnati flights will be year-round, not seasonal like Sun Country's service to the Twin Cities. Sun Country's twice- and thrice-weekly flights to and from Minneapolis will kick off again for the winter travel season from Jan. 24 to April 7, per the airline website.
Allegiant flies today from Melbourne to a pair of Pennsylvania cities: Pittsburgh and Allentown. Busalacchi said both routes are performing well, but the airline's previous service to Nashville, Tennessee, has been discontinued and likely will not return.
“We are thrilled with Allegiant’s decision to add twice weekly service to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport,” Greg Donovan, airport executive director, said in a press release.
“We are confident this will be a successful route for Allegiant and our respective communities as it connects two very popular destinations with service from one of the nation’s most popular low-cost carriers," Donovan said.
Last year, Allegiant generated 275 departures, 71,000 passengers and $35.7 million in economic output in the Melbourne region, a newly released airport study shows. Of those passengers, 61% were visitors to the Space Coast.
Allegiant officials announced the Melbourne-to-Cincinnati service as part of a package of eight new nonstop flights to 13 destinations across the country. Other Florida airports included West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Destin-Fort Walton Beach and Sarasota-Bradenton.
"The addition of new routes is a testament to the success of our existing service in these communities," Drew Wells, Allegiant's chief revenue officer, said in a press release.
"Our network planning team is responsive to consumer demand, constantly looking for opportunities to enhance the leisure travel experience. The new service kicks off just in time to plan warm winter getaways to sought-after coastal destinations," Wells said.
Allegiant launched service in Melbourne in November 2021. On June 26, the Melbourne Airport Authority approved a five-year signatory lease agreement with the airline. That means the airline is committed to stay through the term of the lease, Busalacchi said. Under a non-signatory lease, an airline can leave per a 30-day "out clause."
"Allegiant is a highly regarded and important carrier here at our airport. They're currently flying both to Pittsburgh and Allentown, A320 aircraft. Both routes are doing well," Donovan said during that June 26 MAA discussion.
"We're in negotiations and discussion with them about potential new routes. And one of the thresholds, if you will, for this company is to see if a new market is working well, if they like what they see, if we perform to the way we sold ourselves," Donovan said.
"And that has all been accomplished, to the extent that Allegiant now is willing to sign a five-year signatory use," he said.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Allegiant launching new nonstop flights between MLB and Cincinnati
