Peoria Int'l Airport Air Service Detail & Analysis - 2018



It is time for another review of Peoria's airline service. 

ALLEGIANT AIR
This Las Vegas-based Low Cost Carrier (LCC) has stimulated passenger traffic since entering the PIA market March 3, 2004. For summer 2018, nonstop service is offered to six destinations - Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Las Vegas, Orlando-Sanford, Phoenix-Mesa, Punta Gorda and St. Petersburg/Clearwater. Flights are operated by Airbus A-320s and A-319s and venerable McDonnell Douglas MD-80s, which are scheduled to leave the fleet in November. Frequencies range from one to four per day with Wednesdays and Saturdays being the busiest.

Allegiant Air may add more destinations in the near future. The Airport Authority has polled travelers on Los Angeles and Myrtle Beach. The latter recently announced incentives to airlines offering a nonstop link with central Illinois (Bloomington/Normal or Peoria). International service to Cancun and Caribbean points is possible as well. 

AMERICAN EAGLE
Three regional carriers affiliated with American Airlines serve Peoria. PSA Airlines operates the Charlotte route, SkyWest Airlines links the city with Chicago-O'Hare and Mesa Airlines flies to Dallas/Ft. Worth. The DFW route is flown on 76-seat, two-class Canadair CRJ900s while the others are on 50-seat CRJ200s. Weekday departures total seven.

American Eagle has sustained its use of larger jets on the Peoria-DFW route, which is a good sign. Recent use of larger jets from Champaign/Urbana and the Springfield to the giant Texas hub was brief. Service to Charlotte probably cost Peoria a fourth roundtrip to Chicago-O'Hare, but the added southeast hub is more than worth it.

No new destinations or increased frequencies shoud be expected in the near future. Eventually, 50-seat CRJ200s will be replaced by larger jets, probably 67-seat CRJ700s. Hopefully, PIA can retain existing frequencies and thus gain additional seats.

DELTA CONNECTION
All flights to/from Atlanta, Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul are operated by SkyWest Airlines 50-seat CRJ200s. Weekday departures total six.

Schedules show 76-seat CRJ900s on the Atlanta and Detroit routes between November 4 and 26, but this may be a placeholder and not a planned upgauge. Eventually, though Delta Connection carriers will be upgauging, probably with 65-seat CRJ700s. 

UNITED EXPRESS
Air Wisconsin resumed service to Peoria last fall. After having operated US Airways Express and successor American Eagle flights for eleven years, the Appleton, Wisconsin-based carrier returned as a United Express carrier, deploying most of its fleet of 50-seat CRJ200s to United's Chicago-O'Hare hub. Four weekday roundtrips are being offered with three each on Saturday and Sunday.

PIA officials are known to have discussed Denver service with United. With Tuesday's announcement that Frontier Airlines is resuming service to Bloomington/Normal with nonstops to both Denver (September 24) and Orlando (October 2), you can bet United Express will bring back Peoria-Denver to be competitive.

Schedules and route map below are effective July 15, 2018.




- David P. Jordan

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