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By Community News<\/p>\n
Allegiant Air will resume service at Trenton-Mercer Airport in 2026 with three new nonstop routes to Florida.<\/p>\n
The company announced today that it will begin flights from the airport to Fort Lauderdale, Punta Gorda and St. Pete\u2013Clearwater as part of a national route expansion. All three routes will operate nonstop and are scheduled to begin in February.<\/p>\n
Flights to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will begin Feb. 19, 2026.<\/p>\n
Service to Punta Gorda Airport will begin Feb. 20.<\/p>\n
Flights to St. Pete\u2013Clearwater International Airport will also begin Feb. 20.<\/p>\n
Allegiant previously operated at Trenton-Mercer before, ending service in 2018. The new routes will reintroduce the airport into Allegiant\u2019s network of small and mid-size cities with direct flights to Florida destinations.<\/p>\n
At the time,\u00a0Allegiant said that the cessation was due to a lack of demand for flights from Trenton-Mercer to Punta Gorda Airport, the only one of three Florida airports to which Allegiant was still provided flights from the location. It had already stopped flying from Trenton\u00a0to Sanford International Airportand St. Petersburg-Clearwater earlier that year.<\/p>\n
Trenton-Mercer Airport serves both commercial and general aviation traffic in Mercer County and the surrounding region. In recent years, the airport has averaged between 375,000 and 425,000 passengers annually. Most commercial traffic has been provided by Frontier Airlines, which continues to operate a mix of routes to Florida, the Midwest and the South.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, American Airlines announced a partnership with ground carrier Landline to offer a bus connection between Trenton-Mercer and Philadelphia International Airport. That service, scheduled to begin in September, will allow passengers to check bags at Trenton and connect to American flights at Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
The announcement of new Allegiant routes comes as Mercer County, which owns and runs the airport, continues work on a series of airport upgrades.<\/p>\n
The plan calls for replacing the existing terminal\u2014built in the 1970s and approximately 28,000 square feet\u2014with a new facility expected to exceed 125,000 square feet. The larger terminal is expected to include additional gates, updated security screening areas, improved baggage handling systems and expanded passenger waiting areas.<\/p>\n
Additional upgrades include expanded parking, runway and taxiway reconstruction, new airfield lighting and signage, and a new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting facility. Work has already started on the firehouse, which is a two-story, 20,000-square-foot structure designed to serve both airport operations and the local community under a shared-services agreement.<\/p>\n
Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann said that Allegiant\u2019s return to Trenton\u2013Mercer, which is located in the town, is welcome news for the both Ewing and the entire region.<\/p>\n
“The airport has long been an important driver of local convenience and economic activity, and bringing back additional commercial service expands travel options for our residents and supports jobs in and around the airport corridor, and I thank County Executive Dan Benson for his ongoing efforts related to TTN,” Steinmann said. “We appreciate Allegiant\u2019s renewed commitment and look forward to the continued benefits this will bring to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Business Administrator Aaron Watson, who was responsible for oversight of the airport when he\u00a0deputy county administrator, was happy about the announcement.<\/p>\n
“I know firsthand how meaningful Allegiant\u2019s return is for travelers and for our regional economy,” Watson said. “The airport is an asset that serves thousands of residents with efficiency, accessibility, and value. I\u2019m pleased to see Allegiant reinvesting in this market, and I\u2019m confident this renewed partnership will strengthen the airport\u2019s offerings and benefit the communities it serves.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watson added, “Frontier has demonstrated since 2012 that (Trenton-Mercer) is a convenient, attractive alternative to the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia and Newark. The fact that (the airport) operates in its own airspace ensures that passengers will not endure long delays and will always be first to take off. We have always maintained that competition is healthy and this airport is an important part of the aviation network.”<\/p>\n
In its announcement, Allegiant said the new flights are intended to meet demand for travel to leisure destinations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to continue Allegiant\u2019s growth by adding these new routes,\u201d said Drew Wells, Allegiant\u2019s chief commercial officer. \u201cOur mission has always been to connect travelers to world-class destinations at an affordable price.\u201d<\/p>\n