Avelo Airlines Announces New East Coast Base

DALLAS - Today, Avelo Airlines (XP) announced its new East Coast base in Wilmington, Delaware. The launch of XP's fourth hub at Wilmington International Airport (ILG) is slated for February 2023.

The new base will include five initial destinations from Wilmington, all to Florida. The new hub follows Frontier's (F9) recent departure from Wilmington this past summer.

Wilmington joins Hollywood Burbank (BUR), New Haven (HVN), and Orlando International (MCO). Last month, XP said it would establish a new base at Fort Myers' Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW). However, the carrier suspended the plan for the foreseeable future.

Initially, the Houston-based carrier will station one of their eleven Boeing 737 NG aircraft and create 35 jobs at ILG. All of Avelo's initial destinations from Wilmington are to Florida as the airline is hoping to attract warm weather and sun-seeking leisure travelers. These five destinations include Fort Myers (RSW), Tampa (TPA), Orlando (MCO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and West Palm Beach (PBI). 

Avelo, which celebrated its 10,000th flight earlier this month, was the first new airline to start in the United States in over a decade. Since the airline's inaugural flight in April 2021, the carrier fleet has grown from an initial three Boeing 737 NG aircraft to eleven and is set to reach fourteen aircraft by the end of 2022 and sixteen by March 2023.

Comments from Avelo Airlines, ILG Officials

Avelo Airlines CEO and Chairman Andrew Levy said, "The Delaware Valley region wants and deserves more affordable, convenient, and reliable air travel. Our very low fares and nonstop flights to five sun-soaked Florida destinations, coupled with the fast and seamless experience at Wilmington Airport, will make traveling easier than ever... We look forward to welcoming everyone aboard Avelo's first ILG flight in February."

Delaware River & Bay Authority Executive Director Thomas J. Cook said, "Wilmington Airport's excellent location along the busy I-95 corridor, along with the lowest cost operating environment of any airport in the United States, offers customers the opportunity to forego the stress, expense, and hassles of a big city airport."

Featured image: N801XT Avelo Boeing 737-8CT. Photo: Nick Sheeder/Airways