Avelo Airlines

Avelo Airlines is a US low-cost airline that started scheduled flights in April 2021. Wikipedia gives its headquarters as Houston, Texas, but its flying is concentrated on the East Coast. As of its 15 October 2026 press release, Avelo served 39 destinations across 17 states and Puerto Rico, from bases at Tweed-New Haven in Connecticut, Wilmington in Delaware (serving Philadelphia), Lakeland in Florida and Concord-Padgett in North Carolina (serving Charlotte), with a fifth base at McKinney, Texas, due to open on 11 November 2026. No wind-down or sale had been announced as of that release; the airline has instead been shrinking and reshaping its network.

From casino charters to Avelo

The operating company is older than the brand. Casino Express Airlines was set up in 1987 by Tod McClaskey, owner of a hotel and casino in Elko, Nevada, to fly gamblers to the town. It was renamed Xtra Airways on 8 December 2005 as its charter work broadened. Andrew Levy, a former president of Allegiant Air and chief financial officer of United Airlines, bought Xtra in August 2018 to turn it into a low-cost scheduled airline. The new name, Avelo, was announced on 8 April 2021, and the first flight ran on 28 April 2021 from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, California.

Network

Avelo began on the West Coast but quickly added a base at Tweed-New Haven in 2021, which had grown to 26 destinations by the end of 2024. Bases followed at Orlando, Wilmington, Delaware and Raleigh–Durham in 2022. Levy has said the airline's niche is mainly people visiting friends and relatives who want nonstop flights. On 14 July 2025 Avelo said it would close its Burbank base and stop all West Coast flying by December 2025. In April 2025 it signed a charter contract with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and opened a base at Mesa, Arizona, for those flights; the contract drew local criticism, and the flights ended on 27 January 2026.

Fleet

Avelo flies used Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, mainly 737-800s alongside some 737-700s. In September 2025 it placed a firm order for 50 Embraer E195-E2s with purchase rights for 50 more, with deliveries expected to begin in the first half of 2027. In August 2026 it said it would become the first US airline to fly the E195-E2, in 2028.

2026

• 6 January 2026: Avelo said it had been recapitalised and would close its bases at Mesa, Raleigh–Durham and Wilmington, North Carolina, keep four core bases plus a new one in the Dallas area, remove six 737-700s and fly mainly 737-800s.
• 4 August 2026: the airline said it had flown its 10 millionth customer since launch.
• 15 October 2026: Avelo added two Florida routes from McKinney National Airport, where three 737s will be based from 11 November 2026, giving the base 11 nonstop destinations.