Airline business operations, fleet management along with aircraft acquisition directly influence operational performance as well as profitability.
Allegiant Air and Alaska Airlines different fleets
Allegiant Air and Alaska Airlines maintain separate operational frameworks and market approaches designed for their respective customer groups.
Allegiant Air operates as a low-cost carrier (LCC) and connects smaller cities directly to popular vacation destinations, bypassing traditional hub airports, and serving routes with less competition.
Allegiant Air, which in 2024 was recognized as the Best Low-Cost Airline in North America by Skytrax, maintains the oldest aircraft fleet among US ultra-low-cost carriers.
Its planes have an average age of 16.6 years, and according to ch-aviation, the Allegiant Air fleet includes Airbus A319s and A320s, with A319s operating at an average age of 19.6 years and A320s at 14.9 years.
The oldest aircraft in the Allegiant Air fleet is a 26.3-year-old model of the A320. The Las Vegas-based airline saves money by acquiring used planes, while maintaining an old aircraft fleet.
The airline recently brought the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into its fleet, which enabled it to enter new markets, including Hawaii.
On the other hand, the hub-and-spoke system operated by Alaska Airlines allows the airline to maintain its strong market position across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska territories through connections between major cities and smaller towns in remote locations.
The main aircraft fleet operated by Alaska Airlines consists of Boeing 737 family planes with the 737 MAX 8 model included.
The airline has operated various Boeing 737 aircraft types since 1997 and, according to ch-aviation, maintains 6 737–900 planes with an average age of 23.1 years.
The fleet modernization plan includes these aircraft retirements because the airline continues to be affected by delayed 737 MAX deliveries. The Boeing 737-900s will continue to operate on West Coast and Midwest routes until their complete retirement.
During its fleet modernization process, Alaska Airlines will also continue to operate its Boeing 737-700 aircraft because they serve important regional routes in Alaska.
The SeaTac-based air carrier follows the same delivery expectation changes as Southwest Airlines. Both airlines have shifted from 737NG models to the MAX series fleet.
Allegiant Air's journey to integrate the Boeing 737 MAX into its fleet
The first aircraft delivery was scheduled for 2023, followed by multiple deliveries during 2024 and 2025, according to the initial plan. However, production challenges at Boeing induced by a machinist strike, caused delivery delays. In mid-2024, Allegiant reduced its delivery forecast to four planes for that year while originally planning for twelve aircraft.
Despite these setbacks, Allegiant received its first Boeing 737 MAX 8-200, registered as N811NV, on September 9, 2024 .
The aircraft started its revenue operations early on October 20, 2024, when it conducted its first commercial flight between Orlando Sanford International Airport and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.
In the near future, the expansion of Allegiant's fleet includes 11 new 737 MAX 8s, while the airline plans to eliminate 10 Airbus A320s from its operations during 2025.
The MAX 8200 addition will enable Allegiant to expand its route network through Florida bases, starting from Orlando Sanford International Airport and continuing to St. Petersburg/Clearwater and Punta Gorda.
What was Allegiant Air's strategy for accelerating Boeing 737 MAX deliveries?
Allegiant Air has employed tactics that enabled it to accelerate the acquisition of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft at a faster pace than initially anticipated, outperforming other airlines such as Alaska Airlines.
The company used creative financing approaches to support its acquisition deals. Through a $412 million funding agreement with BNP Paribas and Jackson Square Aviation, the airline obtained the ability to lease Airbus A320 CEOs and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The strategic partnership enabled Allegiant to acquire new planes for its modernization plan without causing financial stress to its budget.
Also, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Allegiant Air took advantage of market opportunities to make purchases at advantageous prices. In this way, the airline adjusted its fleet renewal schedule, despite Boeing production delays, by making cautious planning decisions to prevent aircraft availability from mismatching with their pilot training schedules.
The ability to modify plans became essential for the airline to handle unexpected delays. This combined approach enabled Allegiant to add the first MAX aircraft to its fleet before the end of 2024.
Allegiant Air's 5 Boeing 737 MAX 8s arrived faster, but what about Alaska Airlines?
On October 11, 2012, Alaska Airlines announced a firm order for 20 737 MAX 8s and 17 737 MAX 9s, along with 13 Next-Generation 737-900ERs as part of its fleet modernization program.
Then, in December 2020, the SeaTac-based airline restructured its agreement with Boeing to acquire a total of 68 Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft over four years, with deliveries scheduled as follows: 13 planes in 2021, 30 in 2022, 13 in 2023, and 12 in 2024. However, the first delivery under this agreement occurred on January 25, 2021.
Alaska Airlines expected to have five MAX 8s in its fleet by March 2024, with a total of eight by the end of the year.
However, as of May 2024, the carrier still had only one MAX 8 in operation . In comparison, in 2024, Allegiant Air received its first 737-8200, just one year behind schedule.
Despite these delays, on February 6, 2025, Alaska Airlines confirmed to my that:
There has been no change to our MAX8 orders, and we still expect 15 deliveries across 2025-2026 for a total of 20 aircraft.
Alaska Airlines, despite its long-standing partnership with Boeing, faced delivery setbacks due to broader supply chain challenges, and it proceeded with its phased transition to newer aircraft models. On the other hand, the MAX 8200 integration by Allegiant Air allowed the company to establish new routes and improve operational efficiency.
