Vision itself isn't new. It's been operating charter flights from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon for years. But now it is making the leap into a full-fledged airline by operating flights to and from several U.S. Gulf Coast locations on a regular basis.
Vision Airlines Route System
To start, most flights will use Destin, Florida, as a hub. From here, passengers can fly non-stop from the following U.S. cities:
- Ashville, North Carolina
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Columbia, South Carolina
- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
- Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda, Florida
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Macon, Georgia
- Niagara Falls/Buffalo, New York
- Orlando/Sanford, Florida
- Savannah, Georgia
- Shreveport, Louisiana.
Other flights will use Gulfport/Biloxi, Mississippi, as a base, flying non-stops to Atlanta, Georgia; Houston, Texas; and St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida.
Vision will also operate non-stops from Louisville, Kentucky, to Atlanta, Georgia, and Miami, Florida.
What Vision Airlines Has Going for It
Despite last year's oil tragedy, the Gulf Coast region draws a lot of tourists. The Gulfport/Biloxi area has many casinos, and the Destin area is a popular beach destination, which remained untouched by the oil globs. In addition, there are many other popular resort areas nearby, such as Panama City, Florida, which is one of the hottest spring break destinations in the U.S. among college students.
By offering low cost fares and non-stop service to and from many secondary airports in the southeast to these and other sunny locations, Vision positions itself to be a better alternative to the major airlines that fly into these areas via connecting flights and higher fares.
In fact, according the airline's press release, the $49 introductory fares proved so popular that customers crashed the online servers trying to purchase tickets when they were initially offered.
How to Book with Vision Airlines
That one-time server issue aside, the best way book a flight is via the Vision Airlines website, as the carrier doesn't currently use aggregator sites like Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity. Those who prefer to talk to a live agent can call the airline toll free at 877-359-2538.
Flights between Louisville and Atlanta started December 13, 2010, and between Destin and both Miami and Niagra Falls on December 17, 2010. The majority of the route system will be rolled out on March 25, 2011, with the remainder fully operational by April 1, 2011.
Fares will be very competitive, averaging from $49 for short hauls to $199 for the longer ones. Be sure to follow them via Facebook and Twitter to get first notification of any sales they may have in the future.
In addition to flights, Vision Airlines also plans to start offering complete vacation packages, including hotels and rental cars.
Michelle Snow - Michelle Snow been a freelance journalist and photographer for over twenty years, specializing in travel and entertainment. She got her ...
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