You’ve probably heard of them, or perhaps had a chance to take a flight However, are they your preferred choice for traveling?
Although most travelers are familiar with the four major U.S. airlines: American, Delta, United and Southwest airlines like Allegiant, Avelo, Breeze and Sun Country may not exactly make a sound.
Alaska, Hawaiian, Frontier, JetBlue and Spirit are too among the smaller carriers, however, they’re well-known enough that they compete directly with the bigger players.
In the words of Mike Arnot, an aviation industry analyst smaller airlines are able to fill a need which is helpful to a large number of customers.
“These airlines have determined, and I think Allegiant is the first to have lasered in on it, that people in smaller centers want to travel just as much, and they don’t want to have to connect through a hub,” the president added. “To get on a direct flight from your hometown to any sunny destination in particular is a great benefit.”
How to fly smaller airlines?
There are certain advantages to taking smaller airlines. A lot of these are ultra-low cost carriers meaning you’ll get cheap base prices but have to spend money on extras such as seat selection, or any type of bag, regardless of whether it’s being checked or going into the overhead.
However, loyal customers say it’s not as important because of the ease of flying direct from their local markets.
“I enjoy the small-sized airport aspect. I love getting into as well as out of Tweed. It’s tiny,” Kathriona Rooney, frequent Avelo traveler, told me. refers to the airport located in New Haven, Connecticut where Avelo has its base.
Rooney was born at home in Hamden, Connecticut, and is now a resident of Chicago. She has said that flying to New Haven when she visits her parents is much more convenient than driving through the I-95 corridor to to or from an larger airport.
“I was able to go in like every two weeks because of this convenience,” she added. “I am really convinced that they’re fantastic. I truly do.”
There’s not a lot to be gained However, it’s not all upside.
Arnot said that the newest airlines often face challenges of growing and have small fleets and limited service, it could be difficult for more recent carriers to recover from weather disasters or any other interruption.
“If there is a reason why the flight is cancelled and you are with no choice but to drive to a different city to fly there, or accept what the airline will offer you to take the next flight. This can be a problem for the consumer,” he said.
Facebook groups for these airlines are full of complaints from customers who are unhappy, who were impacted by delays to flights, baggage problems or cancellations But Arnot said that this isn’t a problem unique for smaller airlines.
John Lincoln said he regularly flew on Allegiant at his residence at Roanoke, Virginia, to destinations in southwest Florida.
“It’s extremely convenient and also very affordable. It’s not a problem with regards to cost and it’s also straightforward. I could travel to southwest Florida today in just an hour and a half” I was told by him. “If I choose Delta or anything else, it’s four, six, eight hours with transfers.”
However, he also stated that the airline has issues.
“I will say it can be a bit challenging to get in contact with customer service,” he stated. “Is it flawless? Not really, but it’s excellent for the price.”
How do Allegiant, Avelo, Breeze and Sun Country are stacked up?
Allegiant, Avelo and Sun Country are quite similar to Sun Country and Avelo. They all employ the low-cost model as per aviation expert Arnot which means many additional fees are stacked onto the low prices of base tickets.
Breeze according to him is in a in a different class. Breeze is described as an “premium low fare carrier,” which means “their prices are higher in comparison to Avelo, Sun Country and Allegiant. Additionally, they offer additional amenities.” If this is akin to JetBlue’s original strategy for business, then it could be due to the fact that Breeze was established by JetBlue’s CEO in the beginning.
Each of them has similar networks that serve smaller airports, and connecting them with popular destinations for leisure.
Arnot stated that Arnot said that Breeze as well as Avelo Are growing in popularity and, while Sun Country and Allegiant have been around longer, their small footprint could mean they’ll not be known to a large number of travellers.
“New airlines always have growing pains, but these airlines are at least two years old now, a lot of those growing pains have been left behind,” said the CEO of the more recent entry. “Their reliability is not perfect, but it’s improving and it’s a great option for most consumers.”
Cirium is an aviation analytics firm is currently not able to provide data available for Avelo however, the company’s statistics show the following: Breeze Sun Country and Sun Country have fairly average reliability, while Allegiant’s performance is just a little lower.
Which airline is best for you?
It all boils to the priorities you set whether cheap flights from an airport close to you for those who live in a small city the best for you? Or would you prefer a bigger airline with greater flexibility in case you have a problem?
John Paquette, a decades-long Delta frequent flyer who has Million Miler status, emailed me to inform me of the reasons he is increasingly flying Allegiant for domestic, personal travel. His two most important reasons included not having to connect, and the low cost of tickets, which were paired with a decline in services and amenities offered by the larger airlines.
Arnot stated that a majority of travelers do the same calculation and is a good idea to take into account the purpose of your trip too. If you have to get to your destination by a certain times or on a certain day, such as when you’re taking an excursion, you may choose an airline that has a greater quantity of flights in case your itinerary changes.