More Alaska Airlines flights, new Allegiant Air service boost Santa Rosa airport travel

More flights and ramped-up service from a second carrier helped boost airline travel through Santa Rosa’s Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in June, based on new airport figures.

The number of passengers flying on Alaska Airlines and newcomer Allegiant Air last month was up 38.1 percent from June of last year, similar to the 38.9 percent growth in May, according to a monthly report from the county of Sonoma, the airport operator. For the first half of this year, the airline passenger total was 42.6 percent higher than the same period in 2015.

Last month, 34,955 passengers came through the Santa Rosa airport, up from 25,309 a year before. Of those fliers, 30,382 took Alaska and 4,573 Allegiant. For the half-year, the total was 154,746 passengers, increased from 115,319 through June last year.

June was the first full month of Santa Rosa service for Las Vegas-based discounter Allegiant. Sunday and Thursday routes between Sonoma County and Las Vegas and the Phoenix area with 166-seat jets started in the latter half of May. Flights to Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport began May 19 and to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on May 26.

Allegiant picked up and dropped off 1,374 passengers in Santa Rosa in May, airport officials said. Average ridership per plane - called “load factor” - was 69 percent on the 12 arrivals and departures in May and 81 percent on 35 flights in June.

By comparison, the 76 seats on Alaska Airlines’ turbopropeller planes were 86 percent filled across 444 flights in May and 84 percent on 465 flights in June. The Seattle-based airline has been serving Santa Rosa since March 2007 and has been adding flights per day and routes since, now flying directly to Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.

The number of airline flights through Santa Rosa in the first half of this year was up 27.4 percent to 1,229 from 965 in the first six months of 2015.