Allegiant Travel begins service to Owensboro, Ky.

Continuing to tie Las Vegas to the South, Allegiant Travel Co. on Friday launched twice-a-week nonstop flights to Owensboro, Ky.

In the next few weeks, Allegiant Air, the company's discount carrier, will also begin flying to Lexington, Ky., and Knoxville, Tenn., from McCarran International Airport. Previously, Allegiant connected the cities to its major destinations in Florida before starting the Las Vegas routes.

No other airline serves Owensboro.

The new service comes as Allegiant bolsters its schedule following a year of holding the reins tightly to try to offset rapidly rising jet fuel costs.