Allegiant Air will fly to Las Vegas from CVG

Low-cost carrier Allegiant Air is expanding yet again at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport – planning new nonstop flights to Las Vegas later this year.

The vacation airline will offer two flights a week to Las Vegas from CVG, beginning Dec. 18, Allegiant Air officially announced Tuesday. The news was first reported on Cincinnati.com on Monday night.

Flights will be on Thursday and Sunday, and Allegiant Air is offering a special $81 one-way introductory fare. Those tickets must be booked by Aug. 19 on Allegiant.com.

It is Allegiant's second major expansion announcement this summer at CVG. The Las Vegas-based airline announced in July it will start limited weekly flights to Phoenix and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this fall.

Las Vegas will be the seventh city Allegiant will fly to from CVG, where the airline has been rapidly growing since coming to town last winter.

"Since February, Allegiant has increased from four flights per week to 20 ... continuing the trend of CVG being the fastest-growing market in Allegiant's 15-year history," airport CEO Candace McGraw said.

Las Vegas might be the biggest announcement yet for Allegiant at CVG, which has the highest average ticket price in the U.S. Las Vegas is among eight U.S. cities that a large amount of local fliers have been bypassing CVG to catch flights from Dayton and Louisville, most likely because of high fares, according to a CVG study.

Delta Air Lines currently is the only carrier that offers nonstop flights to Las Vegas from CVG.

Allegiant currently offers year-round discount flights from CVG to three Florida regions – Orlando, Tampa Bay and Fort Myers – and seasonal service to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Allegiant expects to continue to grow at CVG, airline CEO Andrew Levy told The Enquirer earlier this year.

Allegiant is known for dirt-cheap fares and charging a la carte for most amenities.