HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. — Travelers looking for direct routes from the Lehigh Valley to the Rockies or Music City are in luck.
Lehigh Valley International Airport will welcome back seasonal flights to Denver and Nashville on Thursday, May 22, just in time for the unofficial start of the summer season.
Schedules from Allegiant Air show the seasonal flights to both cities will run Thursdays and Sundays, with some flights as low as $60.
“Both popular vacation destinations will add to the many fantastic options already available to our travelers as they seek their summer getaway."Thomas R. Stoudt, Executive Director, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority
The announcement comes on the heels of LVIA reporting another month of strong growth.
In April, the airport served 85,391 passengers, marking an 11.3% increase compared to April 2024, when 76,691 passengers traveled through the terminal.
“Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff to summer, and ABE is excited about the return of seasonal flights to Denver and Nashville,” Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Executive Director Thomas R. Stoudt said in a release.
“Both popular vacation destinations will add to the many fantastic options already available to our travelers as they seek their summer getaway,” Stoudt said.
Summer travel heats up
The boost in April is part of a broader upward trend at LVIA. Allegiant Air saw a notable 27% increase in passengers even before the return of its seasonal routes.
Delta Airlines grew 5.4%, the release said. In contrast, American Airlines and United Airlines experienced declines of 8.6% and 10.9%, respectively.
As summer travel heats up, airport officials are reminding passengers to plan ahead:
- Ensure you have a Real ID-compliant document for TSA screening
- Allow extra time for TSA checkpoint processing
- Use TSA.gov or @askTSA for travel-related questions
- Those under age 18 are not required to present ID for domestic travel
- Boarding typically begins 30–45 minutes before departure
- Double-check carry-ons for prohibited items, especially when traveling with children
- Checked bags must be dropped off at least 30 minutes before departure
- According to AAA, being flexible with travel dates — especially flying on Tuesday or Wednesday — can lead to lower fares.
AAA projects that a record-breaking 45.1 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more for Memorial Day weekend.
Air travel is expected to be busy, with 3.61 million people projected to fly, a slight increase from last year.
