One of the most significant airline partnerships in the Tampa Bay region will continue for another five years, with Allegiant Air and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport extending a relationship that dates back two decades.
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners approved a new operating and use agreement with Allegiant Air on September 10, 2026. The agreement covers fiscal years 2027 through 2031 and is scheduled to run through September 30, 2031.
According to official Pinellas County records, the five-year agreement is projected to generate approximately $22.8 million in revenue for St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE). That represents a substantial increase from the approximately $14.2 million value of the previous five-year agreement — an increase of about 61%.
Allegiant’s PIE Operation Has Grown Dramatically
Allegiant began flying from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport in November 2006, initially basing two aircraft at PIE and serving 12 nonstop destinations. During the airline’s first year at the airport, Allegiant carried approximately 668,000 passengers.
Twenty years later, the operation looks considerably different. Allegiant now serves 65 nonstop destinations from PIE, according to Pinellas County, giving St. Pete-Clearwater more Allegiant nonstop destinations than when the partnership began. PIE has also grown into Allegiant’s third-largest base airport across the airline’s network of 128 airports.
The airline’s local workforce has expanded along with its flight schedule. Allegiant started with 46 locally based employees and now employs approximately 500 people locally, including pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and station employees.
Travelers can explore current destinations and airport information through St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and flight schedules through Allegiant Air.
PIE Set an All-Time Passenger Record in 2025
The new agreement comes after a record-setting period for St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. PIE welcomed 2,794,067 passengers in 2025, setting a new annual record and representing a 14% increase over 2024. December 2025 was also the airport’s 11th consecutive month in which an individual monthly passenger record was broken.
The complete annual report is available through St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Pinellas County reports that Allegiant transported approximately 2.8 million passengers to and from PIE during 2025, demonstrating how central the airline has become to the airport’s passenger operation. Through the time the new agreement was presented to county commissioners in 2026, Allegiant had already transported approximately 1.4 million passengers at PIE during the year.
How the New Agreement Works
The agreement establishes a new revenue structure for Allegiant’s operations at the airport and includes incentives tied to increased flight activity.
For fiscal year 2027, Allegiant’s charges include $24.26 per square foot for exclusive office space, a $1.43 landing fee per 1,000 pounds, and a $250.57 per-turn fee for up to 3,000 departures.
The agreement also provides tiered cost savings intended to reward additional operations. When annual departures range from 3,001 to 6,000, Allegiant can receive a 4% reduction on certain landing and per-turn charges. When departures exceed 6,000, the reduction increases to 7%.
Revenue generated from exclusive office space is expected to increase 40% during fiscal year 2027, followed by 3% annual increases from fiscal years 2028 through 2031. Pinellas County estimates the agreement will add approximately $1.04 million in new revenue and reserve expenditures to PIE’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget. County officials also said revenue anticipated under the agreement helps maintain the airport’s financial position and supports planned capital improvement projects through at least fiscal year 2031.
More Allegiant Destinations Are Coming to PIE
The long-term agreement comes as Allegiant continues adding destinations from St. Pete-Clearwater. New nonstop service between PIE and Philadelphia International Airport is scheduled to begin October 2, 2026. Allegiant is also adding nonstop flights between St. Pete-Clearwater and Columbia Regional Airport in Missouri, beginning November 19, 2026. Those routes were included in an expansion announced by Allegiant Air.
Another high-profile addition is coming in early 2027. Allegiant plans to launch seasonal nonstop service between PIE and Boston Logan International Airport beginning February 13, 2027. The Boston service is scheduled to operate through April 24, 2027, giving travelers another direct connection between Florida’s Gulf Coast and the Northeast during the busy winter and spring travel period. Details of the Boston expansion are available from Allegiant Air.
Airport Improvements Planned as PIE Continues to Grow
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also preparing its facilities for future passenger growth. PIE’s Terminal Improvement Project includes improvements to the existing terminal building along with plans for a new terminal expansion north of the baggage claim area that would include jet bridges.
Airport officials have been rescoping the terminal project to address budget and infrastructure priorities. Additional parking has also become a priority in PIE’s Capital Improvement Plan. More information about the project is available from the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport Terminal Improvement Project.
The airport’s growth has an impact well beyond the runways and terminal. Pinellas County cites the 2022 Florida Aviation Economic Impact Study in estimating PIE’s annual regional economic impact at approximately $3.4 billion.
A Partnership Entering Its Third Decade
The transformation at PIE since Allegiant arrived in 2006 has been significant. What began with two based aircraft, 12 nonstop destinations and 46 local employees has expanded into a major airline operation serving 65 nonstop destinations and supporting approximately 500 locally based workers.
The new agreement gives both Allegiant and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport a framework to continue that relationship through 2031 while providing PIE with additional revenue and financial incentives for continued flight growth. For Tampa Bay and Florida Gulf Coast travelers, it also means Allegiant’s sizable presence at PIE is positioned to remain an important part of the region’s air travel options for years to come.
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