Allegiant again extends flight schedule to area

Allegiant again extends flight schedule to area

Allegiant, one of 10 airlines serving the Myrtle Beach International Airport, has made another schedule extension that will have the carrier offering flights nearly year round.

The Myrtle Beach airport is the closest major airport to South Carolina’s Hammock Coast and has been expanding rapidly over the last few years.

Allegiant flights can now be booked through May 15, 2023. That change is the second schedule extension from the low-cost carrier made this year.

In May, the airline announced it would extend previously seasonal markets (Albany, New York; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Newburgh, New York) through the second week of February, a two-month extension from the time that seasonal service would typically conclude for these markets.

With the latest schedule extension, the airline is one step closer to operating as a year-round carrier at the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

“Seasonality … is becoming a thing of the past and we couldn’t be more thrilled with Allegiant’s decision to further expand their operation throughout the winter/spring months,” said Scott Van Moppes, director of airports. “Their continued schedule extensions in off-peak months are a direct result of the explosive activity in our market; demand is growing for travel in what was previously considered the ‘off season’ and our airline partners are responding to it. We thank the Allegiant team for their continued investment in our destination.”

Flights are available for purchase at www.allegiantair.com.

The Myrtle Beach International Airport is the gateway to the Hammock Coast, Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand. The Myrtle Beach International Airport is owned by Horry County and operated by the Department of Airports. In addition to Allegiant, MYR is also served by American, Avelo, Delta, Frontier, Porter, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country and United. 

The new service will be to and from Albany International Airport (ALB) in New York; Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) in Hanover Township in Pennsylvania (serving the Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton Metropolitan areas); Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), located in Hebron, Kentucky, and serving the Tri-State areas of Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana; and New York Stewart International Airport (SWF), located in the Southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, south of Kingston, and southwest of Poughkeepsie, approximately 60 miles north of Manhattan, New York City.

Myrtle Beach International Airport is considered one of the best airports in the United States and is the closest major airport to the Hammock Coast. With a growing number of passengers each year, the number of visitors flying to the Hammock Coast is also increasing. Direct flights are available from larger cities, such as Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and more.

The Hammock Coast is also served by Charleston International Airport (CHS), located in North Charleston, about 19 miles from the City of Charleston and about 75 miles from the Hammock Coast. The largest and busiest airport in South Carolina, Charleston International Airport sees more than five million passengers annually. Airlines serving the airport, including Alaska Airlines, Avelo, Delta Airlines, Delta Connection, JetBlue, American Eagle, United, United Express, and Southwest.

Georgetown County’s casual charm and Southern hospitality earned it the nickname Hammock Coast. Adventure and relaxation blend together in perfect harmony, like the flowing and ebbing of waves on the county’s famed beaches. With six communities – southern Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach, Pawleys Island, Georgetown and Andrews – comprising the pristine coastal area between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, visitors can experience South Carolina’s Hammock Coast like never before.

— By Mark A. Stevens, director of tourism development, Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast ®