July 29, 2026 • 4 min read Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Another budget airline is diving headfirst into first class.
Allegiant Air this week announced it's joining the wave of discounters embracing "premium." The Las Vegas-based carrier will launch a new first-class cabin beginning in 2027.
Tickets are expected to go on sale in the coming weeks.
The new seats appear to be right on par with what you'd expect in a domestic first-class seat — spacious recliners, calf rests, cocktail trays and extra storage.
But for Allegiant, this move marks a dramatic shift from how it's done business in the past.
The airline has long offered a true budget airline experience: no-frills cabins, cheap fares and add-on fees for everything else. Its true calling card: a unique route network between underserved cities and vacation destinations.
Across the industry, though, carriers — including low-cost airlines — have been racing to build up their premium offerings.
Frontier Airlines and JetBlue are each preparing to debut domestic first-class cabins by the end of this year. And Southwest Airlines admits it's thinking hard about airport lounges .
Daily Newsletter Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts Email address Sign up Submitting... By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe at any time.
"This is about giving customers more ways to travel with us," chief commercial officer Drew Wells said of the carrier's first-class plans. "Travelers are increasingly looking for more comfort, more personalization and more flexibility, and these new offerings are a meaningful step forward in delivering that."
Allegiant plans to begin phasing first-class recliners onto "select aircraft" in 2027, with the seats likely to debut next spring.
Once on board its aircraft, they'll take up the first two rows of its planes, arranged in a two-by-two configuration. That's eight first-class seats in total.
Expect some soft product upgrades in the cabin, too; the carrier is promising some "upgraded service elements" that will come with the nicer seats.
Tickets for "Allegiant First" will go on sale in mid-August.
The new first-class cabin will not spell the end of the "Allegiant Extra" seats the airline debuted in recent years. Executives have said the extra legroom seating option has been a major success for the company.
It's not just new seats. Allegiant announced a new policy for its flights that will likely be a hit with travelers in the back of the plane.
Beginning this weekend, the airline no longer plans to charge customers for soft drinks, sodas, juice and water for free inflight.
On budget airlines, those basic refreshments are often not free!
But as of Aug. 1, they will be on Allegiant.
Passengers with the airline's credit card will get additi…