Sarasota Bradenton International Airport will add its 53rd nonstop flight this March, according to a news release from Allegiant.

The publicly traded airline plans to add a nonstop route to Appleton, Wisconsin, on March 11, with one-way fares as low as $59, according to the news release.

Airport continues to grow: Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport reports strong traffic in October

More: Sarasota-Bradenton airport on track for more than 3 million passengers in 2021

The introductory fares are limited and not available on all flights and must be booked by Dec. 8 for travel by Aug. 15, the news release states.

SRQ has experienced unprecedented growth since travel picked up following a deep COVID-19 pandemic-induced slowdown across the country.

The airport welcomed 275,359 passengers in its terminal and facilities in October, 86,543 more than September but 51,588 fewer than July, which was the busiest month in the airport's history.

The October numbers also represent a 148% increase over the same month last year and a 72% increase over the October 2019 passenger count.

Allegiant has been a major driver behind the growth. The airline said the new route from SRQ to Appleton was part of a nine-route expansion to 13 more cities, the company said.

“These routes will connect our customers to premier destinations in Arizona and Florida just in time for Spring break,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue and planning. “Whether travelers are looking to explore the desert southwest or take in the beaches of Florida, we’ve got the flights for them – free from the hassle of stops and layovers – at a price they can afford.”

The new nonstop routes include flights from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport to Clarksburg, West Virginia; Knoxville, Tennessee to Phoenix and Minneapolis; and Flint, Michigan, to Jacksonville, among others.

Sarasota-Bradenton: Airport adds Avelo Airlines, bringing a new flight destination to SRQ

Sarasota-Bradenton is already having its busiest year ever. As of its October passenger update, it has seen 2,494,632 travelers; its previous record was 2.01 million passengers in 1990.

The massive traffic increase can be attributed to several factors, including unprecedented pent-up travel demand for leisure destinations and the addition of new air service, including a new carrier, Southwest Airlines.

Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of the airport, has said that Sarasota-Bradenton could see more than 3 million passengers total in 2021.

The airport is planning for the future by investing millions of dollars in an expansion. Plans include a larger terminal, several new restaurants, and improved operations for rental car companies and ground transportation.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota-Bradenton airport adds nonstop flight to Wisconsin