Allegiant Air announced Tuesday that it will begin regularly-scheduled flights between several West Coast cities — including Santa Maria — and Hawaii late this year.

The weekly flights will depart Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) Saturday afternoons for Honolulu, with the return flights leaving early Saturday mornings, according to Allegiant’s website.

The service begins Nov. 17, with introductory fares as low as $199 each way, according to an Allegiant press release.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant already offers several flights weekly between Santa Maria and Las Vegas, but the new service helps fulfill a long-held goal for the Santa Maria Airport of expanding commercial service. The airport recently completed an extension of its main runway to accommodate larger aircraft, and other improvements in hopes of attracting carriers.

The facility also touts easy access for passengers and free parking.

Allegiant, which is expected to use Boeing 757 aircraft for the Hawaii flights, also is adding service to Honolulu from Stockton, Bellingham, Wash., and Eugene, Ore. Bellingham will also get a weekly flight to Maui.

“We are pleased to expand our presence in the islands with nonstop service to Maui and additional nonstop service to Honolulu from four more of our existing markets,” said Andrew C. Levy, president of Allegiant Travel Company, parent of Allegiant Air, the the press release. “We anticipate the new service will be very popular, especially when customers take advantage of great deals when bundling their air, hotel and car rental.”

More information is available Allegiant’s website.

— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.