PITTSTON TOWNSHIP -- You'll soon be able to take a nonstop flight from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to Tampa, Florida.
The first flight from here to Tampa is scheduled to take off November 6, and for a limited time, you can get there for under $50 each way.
"The partnership has expanded to Tampa Bay," said Lackawanna County Commissioner Patrick O'Malley as he put on his shades during the announcement of a new route for travelers. "I'd like to put on my sunglasses because all of our vacationers who are going to going through our airport are going to be putting on their sunglasses when they're going down to sunny Florida!"
A giant map shows the route Allegiant Air will fly, from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to the St. Pete -- Clearwater International Airport.
The flights start taking off in the fall and the new partnership with Allegiant is partly thanks to $200,000 in federal tax dollars that will pay for Allegiant's marketing and ground handling for the flight's first two years.
"After two years, we're hoping this service will be well established by that point, and we won't need the grant to keep Allegiant flying this route," said assistant airport director Michael Conner.
The flights start taking off from here to the Tampa area November 6 and will run every Monday and Friday. If you book by this Friday, Allegiant is offering a special introductory price starting at just $49 each way.
"That would be absolutely wonderful," said Maria Maas.
Maas is traveling to Miami, Florida for a $500 one-way ticket. Allegiant's $49 one-way ticket to the Tampa area comes with restrictions. But Maas is excited that the low-cost carrier is offering another nonstop flight from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport.
Allegiant currently has a nonstop flight from here to the Orlando area.
"It's great, especially since I'm on a teacher's salary, so I would love to be able to afford to go to Florida and do more fun things there," said Maas.
After Friday, prices could slightly increase, but Allegiant is a low-cost carrier, so airport officials say it won't be by much.
The trip from here to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area would take about two hours and forty minutes and the first flight takes off on November 6.