What to Know
- Starting on Feb. 1, 2023, Avelo Airlines will launch air travel connecting Wilmington Airport to five Florida destinations - Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach.
- Nonstop on-way flights to and from Delaware start at just $49.
- “Wilmington Airport has tremendous potential to be an economic driver in our County," New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer said.
A discount airline is soon landing at Wilmington Airport (ILG) as commercial air travel returns to Delaware just in time for snowbirds to fly off to Florida this winter.
🛫 Texas-based Avelo Airlines announced Thursday morning its plans to launch a hub at the New Castle County airport. Starting on Feb. 1, 2023,, Avelo will fly nonstop from Wilmington to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach in Florida. 🌴
"The Delaware Valley region wants and deserves more affordable, convenient and reliable air travel," Avelo Airlines Founder, Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said in a news release. "We appreciate the warm reception and support Avelo is receiving from Delaware Governor John Carney, New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer and so many other government and business leaders here. We look forward to welcoming everyone aboard Avelo’s first ILG flight in February."
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The inaugural flight will be on Feb. 1 to Orlando. Nonstop flights to other Florida destinations -- Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Tampa and West Palm Beach -- will take off in the days to follow.
One-way flights start at just $49 a ticket, Avelo said. The introductory rate must be booked by Oct. 27, 2022 and the flights must be taken by April 30, 2023, according to the fine print. You might need to pay more for bags and seat assignments.
Never heard of Avelo? It's new.
"Since taking flight on April 28, 2021, Avelo has flown more than 1.2 million Customers on over 10,000 flights," the company said in its news release.
Avelo already has a fleet of 737- 700s and 800s serving locations east of the Mississippi River from existing hubs in New Haven, Connecticut, and Orlando, Florida. The airline serves western states from Los Angeles/ Hollywood Burbank Airport in California.
Just last week, NBC10 reported on the possibility of Avelo serving Wilmington Airport.
New Castle County Airport (ILG) has been without commercial air service since Frontier Airlines flew out of there in June, Delaware Online reported.
The return of air travel to Delaware was met with gratitude from officials.
“Wilmington Airport has tremendous potential to be an economic driver in our County," New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer said.
"Avelo will provide Delawareans and visitors a convenient way to travel," two-term Democratic Gov. John Carney said. "Thank you to Avelo for choosing Delaware.”
The small airport feel just off Interstate 95 is a big draw, according to the Delaware Rive Bay Authority.
"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, offer customers the opportunity to forego the stress, expense and hassles of a big city airport," DRBA Executive Director Thomas J. Cook said.
The DRBA on its website expanded on the convenience factor: "Just 25 minutes from Center City Philadelphia and 90 minutes from New York City and Washington, D.C., it features easy access to I-95, I-295, I-495, and the New Jersey Turnpike; and is just 10 minutes from the Wilmington Amtrak Station."
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