Atlantic City International Airport, which is located in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, added a second scheduled airline last week. The airport sits northwest of central Atlantic City and has traditionally had limited commercial air service. It was originally established in 1942 as a Naval Air Station and transitioned into civilian use decades later. American International Airways, which ceased operations in 1999, was among the first to commence passenger flights.

It briefly attempted to establish a hub at Atlantic City using Douglas DC-9 aircraft and served cities such as Boston, Chicago, Miami, and Orlando. That operation was short-lived, and the airport has seen intermittent airline service since. Until now, Spirit Airlines had been the airport’s sole scheduled carrier. That changed on December 11, when ultra-low-cost airline Allegiant Air launched service from Atlantic City.

Allegiant Launches First Scheduled Flights From Atlantic City

The Las Vegas-based airline started service at Atlantic City with flights to Fort Lauderdale. According to scheduled data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, the route is currently operating on a limited schedule of seven to eight flights per month. From February 11, the airline will increase the service to six weekly one-way flights. In addition, more routes are already scheduled to follow. From December 19, Allegiant will start operating flights between Atlantic City and Orlando Sanford.

Looking further ahead, the airline has confirmed two more Florida routes. Services to St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport and Punta Gorda Airport are both scheduled to begin on February 13, 2026. Indeed, the timing of the expansion is deliberate. Allegiant’s network focuses heavily on leisure travel, and the new routes align with seasonal demand for warm-weather destinations during the winter months.

Allegiant Joins Spirit In Atlantic City’s Small Airline Market

Allegiant will face direct competition from Spirit Airlines on one of its new routes. Spirit has operated scheduled service at the airport since 1993 and has long been its only commercial carrier. It currently serves Atlantic City with flights to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, and Tampa. On the Fort Lauderdale route, where Allegiant has now entered the market, Spirit operates up to two daily flights.

Beyond Spirit, commercial activity at the airport has been limited in recent years. In 2022, Sun Country Airlines operated a few charter flights to destinations including Manchester–Boston Regional Airport, St. Petersburg, and Pensacola. That said, Cirium data shows the airline hasn’t scheduled any charter services after that period.

Furthermore, Atlantic City is also connected to American Airlines’ network through the carrier’s Landline bus partnership. The oneworld alliance member uses the service to connect smaller regional markets to its Philadelphia hub, where operating regional aircraft would not be economically viable. Notably, Atlantic City was one of the first to be included in the program, alongside Allentown.

Airlines That Previously Served Atlantic City International Airport

Atlantic City has seen several airlines come and go over the years. As noted earlier, American International Airways was among the first to attempt scheduled passenger service. US Airways later operated flights to Pittsburgh, while US Airways Express connected the airport with Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. Continental Express also served Atlantic City with flights to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

During the late 1980s, People Express Airlines offered service between Atlantic City and Newark Liberty International Airport using Boeing 737 aircraft. In addition, Delta Air Lines’ regional subsidiary, Delta Connection, also offered flights from the airport, connecting Boston, Cincinnati, and Orlando. United Airlines also launched services to Chicago O’Hare and Houston in April 2014, but both routes were discontinued later that year.

Furthermore, Atlantic City had also seen some international operations previously. WestJet operated flights to Toronto until May 9, 2010, after which the airport again lost international connectivity. Later in 2015, Air Canada started seasonal summer flights to Toronto, though the airline decided not to return the following summer, once again leaving the airport without scheduled international service.