Allegiant A320 Legroom Plus review: The best worst experience you’ll ever have

Allegiant A320 Legroom Plus review: The best worst experience you’ll ever have

What you’re about to read is an in-depth review of Allegiant Air’s pinnacle offering. This is it. The best of the best. It doesn’t get any better than this.

The TLDR: I flew one of Allegiant Air’s longest routes (Flint to Las Vegas) on the A320. Not only did I pay extra for one of their fancy “Legroom +” seats, I threw in an extra few dollars to make it an “Allegiant Extra” experience as well.

Was it worth it? Meh.

G41529
Flint, MI (FNT) – Las Vegas, NV (LAS)
Monday, October 28, 2024
Aircraft: A320-214
Registration: N211NV
Duration: 4 hours 1 minute
Seat: 2F (Legroom Plus)

Allegiant Air A320 (N211NV) side view
Allegiant Air A320 (N211NV) side view illustration by NorebboStock.com
G41529 flight track
Our route from Flint to Las Vegas today as G41529.

My full review of the Allegiant A320 Legroom Plus experience from Flint to Las Vegas

Note: they advertise “Allegiant Extra” as a package including extra legroom, reserved overhead bin space, priority check in, priority boarding, and a complementary snack. It’s only available on select routes (Flint to Las Vegas being one of them).

Considering that added legroom and reserved overhead bin space is part of the “Legroom Plus” thing, the only added benefit to “Extra” is priority access and a snack. Do with that information what you will.

My arrival at the Flint Bishop International Airport (FNT)

Those of you read either of my United Express CRJ-200 review or my American Eagle E145 review are about to experience a big fat dose of mother F’n déjà vu. The Flint Bishop International Airport hasn’t changed a bit since then. It’s still as quirky (and awesome) as it ever was.

Baggage claim area flint bishop international airport
The hell? What kind of idiot kicks off an in-depth airline review from baggage claim?
Curbside main entrance flint bishop international airport
Let’s try this again. Welcome to the Flint Bishop International Airport!
SANspotter walking through baggage claim Flint Bishop international airport
In my defense, I am flying Allegiant Air all the way across the country today, so the “being an idiot” thing is to be expected.
Allegiant Airlines check-in area flint bishop international airport
This is allegedly the Allegiant baggage drop and check-in area.
They even have a Priority queue for Allegiant credit card holders. My assumption was that my “Allegiant Extra” status (which I paid extra for) would get me into this line, but I didn’t press my luck. It didn’t matter anyway since I checked in online.
Inside flint bishop international airport terminal
See that gate alllllllllll the way at the end? Do I even need to tell you what flight will be departing from there today?
SANspotter sitting and waiting for a flight at FNT
I’ll get there when I get there. For now, I’m just soaking up everything FNT has to offer (which pretty much consists of the best airport carpet anywhere in the world IMHO).
Allegiant airlines A320 parked at the gate at FNT
She’s here! Never in a million years would I have expected a flight on Allegiant Airlines to be completely uneventful, but so far, things are going smashingly well. What’s the catch?
Allegiant airlines baggage guidelines -personal item versus carry-on
Interesting. My carry-on (which I paid extra for) fit squarely into the “personal item” category (which is completely free). I was tempted to storm the desk and ask for a refund, but…whatever. As long as they don’t kill me today, I’m good.

The boarding process

I was starting to second-guess my decision for paying more for the “Allegiant Extra” thing just as they got the boarding process underway.

On one hand, boarding started within 30 minutes of when they said it would. Score! On the other hand, it didn’t really feel like priority access due to the long line of people in front of me. Poop!

Allegiant Airlines Mobile boarding pass Flint to Las Vegas
Who says there aren’t any interesting flights out of Flint these days? I’m expecting this to be uncomfortable AF, but it definitely qualifies as interesting.
Allegiant Extra priority boarding Flint bishop international airport
That moment you realize that you weren’t the only person to pay for priority boarding today. Shoutout to my Allegiant Extra peeps!
Allegiant airlines A320 forward boarding door
One last moment to contemplate all the reasons why you chose to fly Allegiant today over any other airline. It’s sobering.

Seat overview

There are 5 rows of Legroom Plus seats on the Allegiant A320. And dare I say it – they look awesome draped in black with orange stitching. 

Other than the added legroom (which looks to be 5 or 6 inches IMHO), they’re not all that comfortable. After all, it’s the exact same seat you’ll find way back in the bowels of this aircraft.

Allegiant airlines A320 cabin
See the seats with the orange accents (which look nearly identical to the seats without them)? That’s the Allegiant Legroom + seat. I know it’s kind of hard seeing what the “+” thing is all about, but stay with me here…
Allegiant Airlines A320 legroom + seats
See? That’s a lotta legroom.
Allegiant Airlines A320 legroom plus seat pitch
A lotta legroom indeed. Kneeroom and footroom too!
Allegiant airlines A320 dirty carpet
Don’t forget the crumbs. There’s always crumbs.
Allegiant Airlines A320 legroom plus window seat space
If you zoom out far enough you can’t even see the crumbs anymore. This is nice!
Does an airline who doesn’t give a sh*t about properly cleaning an aircraft between flights deserve to have headrest stitching this cool? This is actually highly reminiscent of my EasyJet A320 experience (which was nowhere near as filthy BTW).
Not only that, this is a lot nicer than the interior you saw in my Allegiant A319 Legroom Plus review. I don’t know what they’ve been smoking over at Allegiant HQ, but it’s gotta be some wicked good stuff.
Allegiant Airlines A320 legroom plus row 2
Black “leather”? Fancy stitching? I had prepared myself for a Sun Country 737-800 Best Seat experience (which was the opposite of “best”), but what I got was something far more spiffy. And y’all know I loves me a spiffy airline seat.

The departure

The fact that we were 30 minutes late as we pushed off the gate didn’t even phase me. I mean, this is Allegiant Air after all. You kind of have to expect it.

Allegiant A320 pushing back from the gate at FNT
No, despite what you may have heard, Allegiant A320s don’t beep like smelly garbage trucks when they back up.
Wing walker on the ramp at FNT
This is, like, a legit flight so far!

Allegiant A320 lining up for runway 18 FNT
“Allegiant 1529, you’re cleared to depart runway 18 at your discretion. I mean, this is Flint and all, and we don’t get a lot of traffic here, so it’s not like there are any other airplanes to watch out for. What’s your favorite color by the way? Blue? I like blue too.” This is how I imagine tower communications to go here at FNT (because of how bored the air traffic controllers must be).
Allegiant A320 climbing out of Flint, MI
Somewhere down there in Swartz Creek is a passionate AvGeek pumping his first (Top Gun style) at the sight of this Allegiant A320 ripping out of FNT. I used to do that in Holly (about 15 miles south) whenever the once-daily Piedmont 737 would take off. I totally get it, man!

Snacks and drinks

Their food for purchase menu is impressive. It’s far (far) more extensive than I was expecting. At least now we know how they can afford to make payments on these A320s

Allegiant air in flight drink and snack menu
If there’s one thing you need to know about Allegiant Air, it’s that they’re going to try their damnedest to get you to spend money on snacks and drinks. Be tough. Stay strong. Unless getting sh*tfaced drunk is all part of the plan, that is.
Allegiant air free snack
Paying for snacks is stupid. Paying more for the Allegiant Extra experience is smart (because you get free snacks).

I actually didn’t even realize that I would get a free snack as part of my “Allegiant Extra” status. It wasn’t much, but let’s just say I’ve never been so surprised to have a bag of pretzels thrown at me.

Allegiant air in flight snack
According to my calculations, this bag of pretzels cost me approximately $40 (that’s how much I paid for Allegiant Extra). Would you believe me if I told you that maybe it wasn’t worth it?

In-flight entertainment

Shame on me for flying Allegiant all the way across the country and not even downloading one stinkin’ TV show, movie, or YouTube video to my phone beforehand.

They don’t give you nothin’. No free messaging. No video screens in the seats. No streaming video entertainment. No Wi-Fi. Nothin.’

Checking for Wi-Fi on an Allegiant Air A320
I mean, I knew there wouldn’t be any Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment, but there’s no shame in checking anyway. Just to be sure.

Without proper in-flight entertainment, it’s up to each passenger to find things to do to kill time. Some choose to watch pre-download movies and TV shows on their iPad. Some choose to sleep. Me? I chose to document the sh*t out of the forward lavatory. It’s what nerdy airline reviewers do.

Seat comfort

Prior to this experience, I’ve always wondered why Allegiant Air doesn’t offer many cross-country flights. But now I get it. 

The seats (even with all that extra legroom) are extremely uncomfortable. There’s no padding at all to speak of. It’s like sitting on a park bench. 

Crossing legs in allegiant air A320 legroom plus seat
I’ll tell you what. All this extra legroom combined with an empty middle seat is making me feel a bit conflicted. Yeah, it hurts. A lot actually. But at least I’m able to twist myself into positions favorable for proper blood flow.
Allegiant A320 legroom plus row two passengers
This doesn’t seem all that bad, does it? Sure, everyone looks bored to tears, but it’s a heck of a lot more spacious than the sardine can-like Allegiant A319 basic economy experience.
SANspotter sleeping in an allegiant air A320 extra legroom seat
Your lower back is going to hurt like hell though. And you’ll be lucky if you can still feel your feet by hour number three. All feeling in your toes will have been lost by hour two. And your spleen? Don’t ask.

The descent and arrival into Las Vegas

Unfortunately for us, Las Vegas was experiencing near hurricane-like winds the day of our arrival. Not only was it causing lengthy arrival and departure delays, the descent and landing was super (duper) gnarly.  It was a white knuckle ride all the way in.

Allegiant A320 flying over mountains approaching Las Vegas
Looks a little different than Flint, doesn’t it? I’ll bet the water is cleaner out here too.
Allegiant Air A320 landing at las Vegas airport
Welcome to Vegas, baby!

Due to our late departure from Flint, combined with the wind-induced arrival delays into LAS, we ended up landing 49 minutes behind schedule. Is it even a proper Allegiant Air review without it ending later than it was supposed to?

Allegiant air A320 legroom plus under seat storage
Remember what I said earlier about just being happy if they didn’t kill me today?
SANspotter walking up jetway at LAS
I’m happy (even though it does look like it). The look of relief I have on my face is just a result of just being able to feel my a** cheeks again. That’s all.

Pros and cons

In my humble opinion, the “Legroom Plus” thing was absolutely worth it. Adding “Allegiant Extra” (like a cherry on top) was kind of a waste of money though. I wouldn’t do that again.

Pros

  • They weren’t kidding about the extra leg room. It was ginormous!
  • The seats look great. The materials they chose are nice enough to make it feel like a slightly more upscale experience.
  • Gotta love that dedicated overhead bin space.

Cons

  • They should’ve paid me to sit in that seat for that long. Extra legroom or not, it was very uncomfortable.
  • Why do we get a free snack but not a free drink? 
  • There are no USB power or 110 V electrical outlets in these seats.

Comments (2)

  1. Ozzy

    November 17, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      November 18, 2024

Give a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.