Santa Maria Airport Adds Weekly Flight to Las Vegas

Residents in Santa Maria and Lompoc will soon be able to catch a flight to Las Vegas without driving to airports in Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo.

Starting next month, Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air will offer once-a-week, direct service from Santa Maria Airport to the city of high rollers. Flights will depart Friday nights and return Sunday evenings.

Allegiant said that its market research, along with input from Santa Maria community leaders, indicated the area would welcome a new, low-fare, nonstop flight to the Nevada city. Airline officials did not return phone calls seeking comment on Tuesday.

Limited introductory fares, offered until Dec. 31, will start at $ 39 one way for travel beginning Jan. 27 through the end of May. After that, regular fares will range from about $ 59 to $ 169 one way.

Allegiant's prices appear to be comparable to what travelers would pay if they were to fly directly to Las Vegas from the Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo airports.

Those traveling on the new Allegiant flights will ride on MD-80 jets capable of holding 150 passengers.

Currently, the Santa Maria airport only offers flights daily to Los Angeles on sole carrier United Express. Local travelers have long been frustrated by the facility's limited service.

But aggressive marketing by Santa Maria officials and a steady economy have helped increase passenger levels at the airport over the past two years, according to Gary Rice, the airport's general manager. A rise in the number of passengers typically helps attract new airline service.

Santa Maria airport officials have been working over the past two years to bring in a carrier that would offer weekly service to Las Vegas.

In 2003, Scenic Airlines, also based in Las Vegas, had expressed interest in offering such flights, but that service never got off the ground.

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