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File photo of the BWI Airmall in the southwest pier. (The Daily Record/Maximilian Franz)
A pair of low-cost airlines are expanding service at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport starting this spring.
Spirit Airlines and Allegiant on Tuesday announced new flights from BWI. They join a number of airlines adding flights to the airport that reported record numbers of passengers in recent years.
Spirit Airlines added new nonstop flights to New Orleans; Oakland; San Diego; and Seattle. Flights to New Orleans will operate year-round. The other flights are seasonal and all scheduled to begin May 25.
“We’re excited to expand our growing network with more flight options between some of the country’s most desired destinations,” Spirit Airlines’ Vice President of Network Planning Mark Kopczak said in a statement. “These new nonstop flights, combined with our ultra-low fares, will give many more customers the chance to check off their travel bucket lists with more money saved to spend making memories on vacation.”
Allegiant will fly a nonstop route from BWI to Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport in Florida. Flights will run twice a week. This route will run seasonally and begin flying on May 31.
Allegiant currently flies six routes from Baltimore to Asheville, North Carolina; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Savannah, Georgia; Knoxville, Tennessee; Lexington Kentucky; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
“This new service will provide our travelers with convenient flights to the beautiful Florida Gulf Coast. We are pleased with the growth of Allegiant in our market,” BWI CEO Ricky Smith said in a statement.
In 2016, airlines, such as WOW Air, Southwest Airlines and British Airways all added routes at BWI.
BWI has continued to experience strong passenger growth as airlines expanded there. The airport set monthly passenger records for 16 straight months leading up to October, the most recent data shows.
BWI set its all-time annual passenger record in 2015 with 23.8 million people flying from the airport. International travelers played a large role in setting that record with international traffic reaching 1.1 million, the first time that number eclipsed 1 million at BWI. To bolster the number of international travelers BWI opened the $125 million D/E connector that added international flight capacity and new passenger services, such as a new security checkpoint.
Earlier last year the airport was named by lifestyle website Thrillist as its top “10 Most Surprisingly Great Airports in America.”
