Just in time for the holiday season, Allegiant is adding a little more color to America’s secondary airports.
The Las Vegas-based carrier has teamed up with Paramount Pictures to promote The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, and the result is an Allegiant SpongeBob jet that is easily one of the most vibrant liveries the airline has ever unveiled.
On 17 November, Allegiant unveiled the freshly painted Airbus A320-214 wearing full Bikini Bottom flair. The carrier shared pictures of the A320 (reg. N207NV) on its social media feeds, and I think it’s fair to say that it will be impossible to miss.
Pirate SpongeBob dominates the tail with a grin that looks ready for adventure, while a bright underwater motif runs along the fuselage. Towards the rear of the fuselage, the movie title and a bold “Only in Theatres” are emblazoned across the metal in loud, tropical colors. The special livery marks Allegiant’s first partnership with Viacom or Nickelodeon intellectual property.
This collaboration is part of Paramount’s promotional push ahead of the movie’s release on 19 December 2025. It’s actually a rather rare move on Allegiant’s part, as they have typically avoided entertainment-themed branding for the most part. Most of the airline’s special liveries have leaned toward sports partnerships, charitable causes, or regional tourism.
The carrier is known for painting its aircraft with special liveries, such as the Make-A-Wish starburst A320s, the silver and black Raiders A319, the Golden Knights tribute jet, the “Together We Fly” employee appreciation scheme, or the brightly wrapped Insomniac and EDC festival liveries. The Ron’s Gone Wrong A320 was one of the few film tie-ins, but nothing in Allegiant’s past portfolio has carried the cultural weight of SpongeBob SquarePants.
N207NV gives Allegiant something very few ULCCs have attempted in recent years: recognizable pop culture branding that appeals to families, casual travelers, and the nostalgic adults who grew up on Nickelodeon. I am sure many a kids’ face will light up this holiday season as they see this aircraft at the airport (and yes, some grown-ups, too!).
A Big Network Expansion Rides Along
The SpongeBob jet is not the only big news coming from Allegiant. The carrier also announced a major route expansion for 2026 that includes 30 new routes and four new cities. (Unfortunately, Bikini Bottom is not among the newly announced destinations.)
The new stations joining Allegiant’s network are:
- La Crosse, Wisconsin (LSE)
- Columbia, Missouri (COU)
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL)
- Trenton, New Jersey (TTN), which returns after Allegiant’s 2018 exit
These additions are typical Allegiant strategy. They connect underserved airports with sunny leisure destinations and tap into communities that crave low-fare, point-to-point flights without major hub connections.
New Routes for 2026
Here is a full look at the new routes and their planned launch dates.
La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE)
• LSE to AZA | 26 February
• LSE to Orlando Sanford (SFB) | 21 May
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
• PHL to Des Moines (DSM) | 21 May
• PHL to Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS) | 21 May
• PHL to Grand Rapids (GRR) | 22 May
Trenton Mercer Airport (TTN)
• TTN to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | 19 February
• TTN to Punta Gorda (PGD) | 20 February
• TTN to St. Pete Clearwater (PIE) | 20 February
Gulf Shores Jack Edwards Airport (GUF)
• GUF to Omaha (OMA) | 21 May
• GUF to Huntsville (HSV) | 21 May
• GUF to Oklahoma City (OKC) | 22 May
• GUF to Louisville (SDF) | 22 May
• GUF to Springfield Branson (SGF) | 22 May
Columbia Regional Airport (COU)
• COU to Orlando Sanford (SFB) | 3 June
• COU to Destin Fort Walton Beach (VPS) | 5 June
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood (FLL)
• FLL to Rockford (RFD) | 12 February
• FLL to Rochester (ROC) | 12 February
• FLL to Albany (ALB) | 13 February
Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
• BUR to Des Moines (DSM) | 22 May
• BUR to Indianapolis (IND) | 22 May
Santa Ana John Wayne Airport (SNA)
• SNA to Phoenix Mesa Gateway (AZA) | 12 February
• SNA to Tri Cities (PSC) | 12 February
• SNA to Appleton (ATW) | 20 May
• SNA to Grand Rapids (GRR) | 20 May
• SNA to Cincinnati (CVG) | 21 May
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)
• MYR to Dayton (DAY) | 22 May
• MYR to Elmira Corning (ELM) | 22 May
Central Illinois Regional Airport (BMI)
• BMI to AZA | 13 February
Key West International Airport (EYW)
• EYW to Columbus Rickenbacker (LCK) | 21 May
Denver International Airport (DEN)
• DEN to VPS | 21 May
This is Allegiant’s second significant expansion in as many years. It is also further proof of the airline’s confidence in the point-to-point leisure market heading into 2026.
A Jet That Brings a Smile at the Gate
Families traveling for the holidays should keep an eye out for the SpongeBob jet making the rounds between Allegiant’s sun markets and small city stations.
For an airline known for bare bones flying, it is cool to see Allegiant lean into something playful. N207NV is bright, bold, and instantly recognizable. It may even become one of those rare liveries that people seek out, photograph, and remember for years (remember The Simpsons jet?).
In the world of serious airline branding, Allegiant and SpongeBob have managed to create something fun at a time when travel could use a few more smiles. And if the partnership draws more eyes to the new film, then that is a win for both the studio and an airline that just added a little Bikini Bottom spirit to its fleet.
