Need to escape the rain this winter? Bellingham has a new flight for snowbirds

Local residents will have a new option when it comes to traveling to the Southwest.

Allegiant announced in a news release Tuesday that it is starting nonstop service between Bellingham and Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 15. The flights will operate Thursdays and Sundays on an Airbus 319 plane, carrying up 154 passengers. With the addition of Tucson, Allegiant will have seven flights out of Bellingham. The other flights are to Phoenix, San Diego, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Oakland.

Last week Allegiant finished up its first-ever seasonal service between Bellingham and Denver.

To celebrate its new service to Tucson, the airline is offering one-way fares as low as $69. Tucson is the airline’s newest destination, according to the news release.

After years of declining passenger numbers because of the weakening Canadian dollar and airline flight changes, Bellingham International Airport experienced more activity this summer, posting year-over-year increases in June and July. While June’s total was up by only 1 percent, July had a significant 14.4 percent jump, according to data from the Port of Bellingham.

The flights to Denver, along with bigger planes used by Alaska Airlines for flights to Seattle and Portland, contributed to the increase, said Sunil Harman, director of aviation for the port.

Those passenger increases could take a hit starting in September, however. Along with Allegiant’s Denver seasonal flight ending, Alaska will be ending its twice daily service between Bellingham and Portland on Aug. 25.

Alaska is also temporarily cutting back on its 11 p.m. flight from Seattle to Bellingham on Aug. 25 Harman said. The airline plans to have that 11 p.m. flight from Seattle available 3 or 4 days a week this fall, bumping it back up to daily service in January. Travelers can check Alaska’s website for specific days that late flight is available.

This story was originally published August 21, 2018 at 10:16 AM.