Trevor Yealy, head of Avelo’s strategy & planning, announces the airline’s expansion at ILG. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)
Avelo Airlines was supposed to start expanding its destinations from Wilmington Airport in a year or two, but instead, it nearly tripled its routes in less than 90 days of service.
Local, state and airline officials held a press conference Thursday morning to announce that the airline is adding nine new nonstop destinations spanning five states: Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia:
Charleston, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carlina
Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina
Nashville, Tennessee
Raleigh/Durham North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Savannah, Georgia
Melbourne/Cocoa Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Since arriving at Wilmington Airport less than three months ago, Avelo has flown more than 25,000 customers.
“This is about the three C’s,” said Thomas Cook, executive director of the Delaware River and Bay Authority. “Avelo has cost friendly fares, Avelo has excellent customer service…and finally, this airport is convenient.”
The added routes will bring addition of a second Boeing 737 to the airport, and the airline is hoping it will bring more jobs to Wilmington by adding at least 35 jobs at the terminal as well as at least 100 crew members.
The new plane fits 189 passengers.
Flights to these destinations begin June 22, with one-way fares starting at $29.
In addition to the new routes, Avelo has five existing destinations from Wilmington to Florida, which are Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and West Palm Beach.
Local and state officials celebrate Avelo’s commitment to Wilmington. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer said that he and others were skeptical of Avelo’s commitment, since other airlines have come and gone.
The quick expansion mitigated his doubts, he said.
“I don’t know if any airline has announced what Avelo has announced today,” he said. “I don’t know if they’ve come and said we’re doubling down, or I guess quadrupling down on Wilmington.”
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki pointed out that this isn’t just for Delawareans flying south, but it’s also for people from other states to fly into Wilmington to stay in the First State.
He’s excited that the airport will help people avoid the hassle of a larger airport.
“Going to Philly is work, going through Philadelphia is just hard,” he said. “Everything about it including getting there and checking your bag and then getting out to where you’re going, it’s a workout.”
For all the divisions in America, Purzycki said the entrepreneurial spirit of a project like this shows how close-knit the community of Wilmington is.
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
