Are you looking to save money on travel but
aren’t sure about flying with Allegiant? Well in this video, I’m going to be taking
a look at a few things I think you should know before booking including some of my top
tips. Hey everyone this is Kyle from Fioney - your
financial resource for a changing world. For travel tips, credit card reviews, and
more, be sure to subscribe and thanks for hitting that like button. Several years ago, I made a vlog documenting
my first-ever trip on Allegiant. Since then, I’ve flown the airlines at least
a dozen times and have learned a thing or two in the process. So, what should you know about Allegiant before
buying your ticket? Let’s take a look at some of the airline's
quirks, benefits, and more. The first thing to know about Allegiant is
where they fly and, equally as important, when they fly. Broadly speaking, Allegiant tends to connect
smaller market airports to vacation or entertainment destinations. For example, from Springfield, Missouri where
I live, the airline flies to their Las Vegas hub as well as Los Angeles, Orlando/Sanford,
other Florida locations, and more. Also of note, these are all point-to-point
flights, meaning that booking a connection is not possible unless you do it manually
on separate itineraries. If you do see that Allegiant offers a route
to a destination you have in mind, then the next step is to see when they fly. That’s because Allegiant may only offer
a route on 2 or 3 days a week - or may even offer it seasonally. On top of that, in my experience, searching
for a flight on a certain day will only give you a single flight time option. Assuming you can find a route, date, and time
that works for your travel plans, it’s time to talk about Allegiant’s fare model. Next, while the base fares for Allegiant may
start low, there are several add-ons that will affect your final price. When you start the booking process, you can
see per-way pricing for your select flight dates as well as how much it would be to fly
on other days near your chosen date. Once you pick a departing and return flight,
you’ll then be introduced to some of Allegiant’s many upcharge options. This starts with a choice between different
bundles, but I’d probably recommend going a la carte instead. The next upcharge option is selecting a seat,
with some premium and preferred options fetching nearly $40 while selecting a back middle seat
may only be a buck. That said, you don’t actually have to pick
a seat and you can be assigned one for free - but, if you want to sit near your party
or confirm a seat near the front, then you’ll likely need to pay up. Another set of paid options involves baggage,
as you’ll not only need to pay for checked luggage but also any carry-ons that will go
in the overhead bins. Passengers do get one free personal item,
but it will need to go in under the seat. Something to note here is that it’s far
cheaper to pay for your bag at the time of booking than it is to add this option at the
airport, so be sure to plan ahead. If you like to be first onto the plane and
first to claim overhead space for your carry-on, then you might also want to consider Priority
Access, which came at a cost of $13.50 per person per way on a recent flight of mine. One paid option I’ve never actually used
is their Tripflex add-on, which allows you to make a change to your itinerary without
paying a change fee. Personally, I don’t think is a very good
deal, but it’s up to you. Lastly, you’ll probably also want to use
a mobile boarding pass with Allegiant as there’s even a $5 fee to have a pass printed for you
at the airport. Since these various fees can add up, be sure
to weigh the advantages of each before checking out - and, if you have other carriers in mind,
consider comparing the final total on Allegiant to what those other itineraries might cost
you. Speaking of fees, while on board, you’ll
need to pay for refreshments including water - although now is also a good time to discuss
the Allegiant credit card. While flying Allegiant, you’ll have several
service items to choose from — all of which have a cost. For example, a can of Coca-Cola currently
costs $3.99 while a bottle of Dasani is $2.99. Elsewhere, various snacks, combos, alcoholic
beverages, and more are also available to buy. However, if you fly Allegiant with some frequency
and don’t want to have to pay for a drink, then you might consider the Allegiant Allways
Rewards card. That’s because it offers such perks as one
free beverage when you present your card on board as well as complimentary priority access. The Allways Rewards card also earns 3x points
on Allegiant purchases as well as 2x on dining and 1x on all other purchases, but does carry
a $59 annual fee. On that note, while you may be able to get
an enhanced welcome bonus by applying during your flight, the priority access and drink
benefit savings may make it worth getting the card before your trip - especially if
you come across this offer while booking like I did while editing this video. In addition to having its own co-branded credit
card, Allegiant now also has a loyalty program that works a bit differently from other airlines. With Allways Rewards, customers can earn one
point per dollar spent on Allegiant, minus taxes and fees. This doubles to 2 points per dollar spent
on itineraries is of $500 or more (again, excluding taxes and fees). These points can then be redeemed at a rate
of 1¢ each on future Allegiant flights, with a minimum redemption of just $1. Of course, while this is effectively Allegiant’s
version of a frequent flyer program, don’t expect any elite status from it. Instead, just think of it as a 1 to 2% rebate
on your flight that you can cash in in the future. Finally, let’s get into some tips I’ve
acquired as a regular Allegiant flyer My first tip is that, if you have a carry-on
and priority access, you may not want to choose the absolutely closest row to the front. That’s because the first two overhead bins
are typically reserved for those in the bulkhead since they’ll need to put their personal
items away as well. If you’re good with that option, then go
for it. But, if that row is full and you don't want
to have to fight your way upstream to retrieve your bag when the plane lands, I’d say start
at least a few rows back. Also on the topic of carry-ons, if you can
reduce the number of bags you need to put in the bin by spreading the rest out between
personal items, then you can save yourself some money. That’s not only because you’ll need to
pay for fewer bags but can also skimp on priority access by having only one person get on early
to store the bag and having the rest join them later on. Lastly, since Allways Rewards points are earned
by the person buying the tickets and not each individual passenger, if you’re traveling
with friends, it may behoove you to book together, volunteer to pay, and have them pay you back
so that you can claim all of the points. While this might mean shelling out a bit of
money upfront, you’ll score yourself some points that you can use for a future flight. Overall, while Allegiant certainly has some
drawbacks, there are also plenty of upsides as well - including the fact that they’re
still often far cheaper than other options even after all of the bells and whistles. While it may be annoying to have to pay for
things that are normally included in the flight experience - including water on the flight
itself - I’ve come to enjoy Allegiant overall, especially since I can fly direct to places
like Vegas from Springfield rather than having to both pay more and connect in another city. That said, I could understand why someone
might not like the nickel and diming and other downsides such as Allegiant’s thinly padded
seats. The airline’s limited schedule can also
be a problem as it often means working your trip around their schedule. It also means that, if your flight is canceled
as once happened to my dad, you’ll be basically SOL as the next flight isn’t for days. Despite all of that, I truly think that knowing
what to expect when it comes to flying Allegiant can enable you to have an enjoyable experience
and save money in the process. Hopefully this gives you a better idea about
what flying with Allegiant is all about but for more on the topic, I’ll have a link
to my full written review in the description box down below. Also, if you have any Allegiant stories - positive
or of the horror variety, feel free to share it with me in the comments. So thanks again for watching and I’ll see
you next time here on Fioney.
