Allegiant Air plans to begin flights to Mexico, adding the first scheduled international service to its network.

The Las Vegas-based airline says it will announce launch dates and destinations at a later date.

"Unlike other US carriers, Allegiant has always been laser-focused on leisure travel and providing access to affordable, non-stop flights for those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to go on vacation,” says Maury Gallagher, Allegiant chairman and chief executive. "Offering service to Mexico will provide a whole new array of options for travellers to discover world-class destinations that may have been previously out of reach."

Gallagher says the airline believes new service to Mexico will help stimulate traffic and provide additional competition in the international leisure segment.

Scheduled service to Mexico has been on Allegiant's radar for a few years, but the airline has held off on expanding abroad, citing work that was required for its IT systems in order to sell and market international service.

Allegiant has experience in operating charter service abroad, such as to Cancun. The carrier's vice-president of revenue and planning Drew Wells told FlightGlobal in January that potential scheduled Mexican destinations for Allegiant include Cancun, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta – all popular vacation destinations for US travellers.

The airline operates to 120 US destinations, according to Cirium schedules data.

Source: Cirium Dashboard