Avelo Airlines to Fly to Binghamton from Florida

DALLAS - Avelo Airlines (XP) announced it will start flying from Binghamton, New York (BGM) to Orlando (MCO) and Fort Myers (RSW) in Florida this fall.

The flights will start on November 16, and reservations are already available on the airline's website. Both routes will be operated twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The flights will be operated by Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, the only one in XP's fleet.

It may seem surprising that a new airline like XP chooses to serve such a small airport. Indeed, Binghamton is a city of fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, next to Pennsylvania. The only flight serving the airport this summer was a small regional service from Detroit (DTW).

Serving Underserved Markets

Indeed, according to airlinedata.com, during August 2022, there was only one flight per day on a 50-seater CRJ. The flight was operated by Delta Connection (DL). It serves the airline's hub in DTW, where passengers can connect to another flight.

However, flying to small and underserved communities is part of XP's business plan. The airline hopes to attract passengers who want to fly directly to Florida without having to transfer to a big international airport.

Executives comments

Andrew Levy, the CEO and chairman of XP, said, "Binghamton – say hello to Avelo! We’re excited to add Binghamton as our first New York destination to Avelo’s U.S. network. Traveling to the Sunshine State is now more affordable and easier than ever. Southern Tier residents can now choose from two sun-soaked nonstop destinations — Orlando and Florida’s majestic Gulf Coast."

"Say hello to convenient and cost-friendly hometown airport access to The Sunshine State and say goodbye to long and expensive gas-guzzling drives to those other distant New York airports," he added.

BGM's Commissioner of Aviation, Mark Heefner said, "Service to Florida is something our community has requested for over 20 years. Our partnership with Avelo not only addresses that need but lays the foundation for successful service for years to come."

He continued, "A lot of hard work went into this announcement, and we are humbled and grateful for Avelo’s faith in our community. We are excited for the opportunity to fill airplanes year-round to Florida with Avelo."

With this new service from BGM to Florida, the airline hopes to attract passengers who want to enjoy the sun in Florida and who don't like connections at big airports.

Featured Image: Photo: Avelo Boeing 737-800 (N801XT). Photo: Nick Sheeder/Airways