As someone who flies Allegiant constantly, I figured their credit card made sense. They serve my nearest small airport with dirt-cheap fares to places I actually want to visit. When they dangled a card with bonus miles and perks, I bit. A year in, here’s my honest take on whether it’s worth your wallet space.
What You’re Getting Into
The Allegiant World Mastercard throws a few perks your way: bonus points on Allegiant purchases, a free checked bag, priority boarding, and a companion discount. The annual fee sits at $59, which means you need to actually use these benefits for the math to pencil out.
Earning rates break down to 3x points on Allegiant purchases, 2x on dining and gas, 1x everywhere else. Points translate to roughly one cent each toward Allegiant flights. So you’re looking at about 3% back on flights, 2% on eating out and filling up, 1% on everything else.
Nothing groundbreaking compared to the big travel cards out there, but that’s not really the point here.
The Free Checked Bag – The Real Draw
Probably should have led with this – the free bag is why I actually keep this card around. Allegiant charges for literally everything, including carry-ons that won’t squeeze under the seat. Their checked bag fees run anywhere from $35 to $50 each way, depending on when you pay.
The card hands you one free checked bag per booking. Round trip? That’s $70-100 back in your pocket. Fly once a year and you’ve already covered the annual fee with cash to spare.
The catch worth mentioning: the free bag only covers the cardholder, and you’ve got to book directly through Allegiant’s site. Third-party booking sites won’t trigger the perk. Traveling with the whole family and hoping to get everyone’s bags comped? This ain’t that solution.
Bringing Someone Along Gets Cheaper
The companion fare discount knocks $50 off when you book two tickets together. That’s real money if you’re consistently traveling with someone. Stack that with the bag benefit and a couple could pocket $150 or more per round trip.
I mostly fly solo, so this particular perk collects dust on my end. But for couples or anyone who’s always buying two seats? Changes the whole equation.
Getting On First Actually Matters Here
On Allegiant’s no-frills flights, boarding early equals overhead bin space. Matters way more than on airlines with assigned seating where bins are guaranteed.
The card automatically bumps you to priority boarding. Pair that with your free checked bag and you’ve got options: check the big suitcase for free, bring a personal item onboard, and board early enough to stow it without playing luggage Tetris. It’s more about reducing stress than dollars saved, but that counts for something at 6am.
What’s Missing From This Card
Zero lounge access. No Global Entry credit. No hotel status bumps. No rental car perks. This isn’t positioning itself as a premium travel card – it’s an Allegiant card, pure and simple.
Your points only work on Allegiant flights. Want flexible points that transfer across programs? Look somewhere else. If you’re only flying Allegiant a couple times a year when the price is right, the annual fee becomes harder to stomach.
No fat signup bonus like the premium cards wave around either. You’re earning value gradually over time, not hitting a jackpot on day one.
Who This Card Actually Makes Sense For
Fly Allegiant three or more times yearly and you’re checking bags? The card probably earns its keep. That free bag alone handles the annual fee on your first round trip. Everything beyond that is pure bonus.
Fly Allegiant occasionally but carry other travel cards earning flexible points? Probably not worth the sock drawer real estate. Too narrow to justify carrying a card you’ll rarely pull out.
Always traveling as a pair and Allegiant serves your routes? The companion fare stacked with bag savings creates genuine value. You’d be pocketing $150 or more per trip after the annual fee washes out.
My Year With This Thing
I fly Allegiant roughly six times annually. The free bag alone saves me around $400 over the year. Priority boarding is a nice touch. Points trickle in slowly since I’m not using this for everyday spending – I’ve got other cards for that.
For my travel pattern, it works. The annual fee gets covered on trip number one, and everything after that is gravy. But I’d never push this card on someone who flies Allegiant once in a blue moon or lives near an airport where Allegiant doesn’t operate.
The right travel card depends completely on how you actually travel. This one’s laser-focused on Allegiant flyers. If that’s you, the value’s there. If not, keep walking.
Leave a Reply