Allegiant Air and the Fort Wayne International Airport announced Tuesday morning that Allegiant is adding non-stop flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C., from Fort Wayne, beginning April 30.

The introductory fares will be $99.98 round-trip for tickets bought by March 17 and must be taken by Sept. 20, rising to about $140 for a round-trip ticket after that, according to the announcement made at the airport.

The flights will be on a 150-seat jet, on Mondays and Fridays only.

Officials said those who book today only might be able to obtain an "extremely" limited fare of $9.99 each way.

The details

Statement, verbatim, issued Tuesday morning by Allegiant Air:

Fort Wayne, Ind. scores a hole-in-one with Allegiant Air as the low-cost airline announces new, nonstop flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C. from Fort Wayne beginning April 30. The low-fare carrier will celebrate the convenient new service to the premier golf and beach destination with introductory fares as low as $49.99* each way. Today only, the airline is offering an extremely limited number of fares as low as $9.99** one-way to/from Myrtle Beach.

"We are extremely pleased to again expand the Allegiant brand of low-fare, nonstop jet service to Fort Wayne," Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., chief executive officer and chairman of Allegiant, said. "This is an exciting new addition for our airline and our customers as we launch the only low-cost, nonstop service between Fort Wayne and Myrtle Beach."

The self-proclaimed "Official Airline for Sunshine" will launch the new scheduled service from Fort Wayne International Airport to Myrtle Beach International Airport with two flights weekly. With service Monday and Friday, flights will depart Fort Wayne at 4:40 p.m. arriving in Myrtle Beach at

6:30 p.m. Flights leaving Myrtle Beach will depart at 2:10 p.m. arriving in Fort Wayne at 4 p.m. (all flight times are local.) Allegiant will utilize 150-seat, MD-80 series, jet-aircraft on the route. Allegiant Air also offers low-cost, nonstop service to two other vacation destinations from Fort Wayne, Orlando, Fla. and the Tampa Bay, Fla. area.

"We are extremely excited about Allegiant Air’s decision to begin service between Fort Wayne and Myrtle Beach," Tory Richardson, Fort Wayne’s executive director of airports, stated. "Myrtle Beach is constantly among the most requested destinations for the people of Fort Wayne, and to have nonstop service available is just great. The combination of great beach activities and world class golfing facilities available at the Grand Strand, will appeal to a wide spectrum of the residents of our region."

"Myrtle Beach will be only a couple of hours away!" David Young, vice president, air service development for Fort Wayne, said. "The people of Fort Wayne have desired better air transportation to the Palmetto state, and now they have the chance to take advantage of these nonstop flights and show their support for this service."

Known as the "Seaside Golf Capital of the World," Myrtle Beach offers endless world-class golf and 60 miles of soft, sandy beaches. Recognized as the "World’s Best Beach" and one of the "Top 10 places for Families to Visit in the U.S." by Yahoo! Travel, the Grand Strand has something for everyone. With more than 100 golf courses to choose from, Myrtle Beach boasts many of the world’s most challenging courses, personally designed by golf greats like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Family fun begins at the beach, inviting visitors to make a splash at any of the many water parks or embark on numerous aquatic adventures like deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, boat rides and jet skiing. The city’s shopping features fashion from couture boutiques to flea market districts. Visitors can indulge in the city’s culture by watching award-winning live entertainment or sampling an assortment of delicious world cuisine – all while enjoying the ocean view.

The company offers low-cost packages with many of Myrtle Beach’s most exciting hotel properties, including: Bay View Resort, Breaker Resort, Caribbean Resort & Villas, Compass Cove Resort, Dunes Village Resort, Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort, Long Bay Resort and Ocean Reef Resort. The company also provides low-cost car rental service through its partnership with Alamo Rent a Car.

Allegiant’s $49.99* and limited $9.99** one-way fares are limited, not available on all flights and must be purchased by March 17, 2010 for complete travel by Sept. 20, 2010. Reservations may be made through the company’s Web site at www.allegiantair.com, the airline’s Reservations Center at 702-505-8888 or professional travel agents.

About the $49.99* one-way fares:

*Seats are limited. Fares are one-way and not available on all flights. Must be purchased by March 17, 2010 for travel by Sept. 20, 2010. Prices do not include PFC, segment tax or Sept. 11 security fee of up to $10.70 per segment. A segment is one take-off and one landing. A convenience fee of $14 per passenger will apply when booked on allegiantair.com. A convenience fee of $14 per passenger, plus $10 per segment, will apply when purchased through Allegiant Air call centers. Purchases made at any Allegiant Air Airport Ticket Office will not incur a convenience or call-center fee. When purchased at the time of booking, a first checked bag fee of $15-$25 per bag and second checked bag fee of $25-$30 will apply per person, per segment. If purchased at flight check-in, a fee of $35 per checked bag, per person, per segment will apply for the first two bags checked. Additional higher fees will apply for three or more checked bags. Fare rules, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply.

About the $9.99** one-way fares:

**Seats are extremely limited. Fares are one-way and not available on all flights. Must be purchased by Feb. 23, 2010 by 11:59 p.m. EST. Prices do not include PFC, segment tax or Sept. 11 security fee of up to $10.70 per segment. A segment is one take-off and one landing. A convenience fee of $14 per passenger will apply when booked on allegiantair.com. A convenience fee of $14 per passenger, plus $10 per segment, will apply when purchased through Allegiant Air call centers. Purchases made at any Allegiant Air Airport Ticket Office will not incur a convenience or call-center fee. When purchased at the time of booking, a first checked bag fee of $15-$25 per bag and second checked bag fee of $25-$30 will apply per person, per segment. If purchased at flight check-in, a fee of $35 per checked bag, per person, per segment will apply for the first two bags checked. Additional higher fees will apply for three or more checked bags. Fare rules, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply.

About the Company

Las Vegas based Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT), is focused on linking travelers in small cities to world-class leisure destinations such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Orlando, Fla., Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla. and Los Angeles. Through its subsidiary, Allegiant Air, the company operates a low-cost, high-efficiency, all-jet passenger airline offering air travel both on a stand-alone basis and bundled with hotel rooms, rental cars and other travel related services.