NEW CASTLE – With two months to go, Avelo Airlines has already broken the record for most commercial passengers out of Wilmington Airport (ILG), marking a significant victory for the startup airline’s run here.
Since launching the service in February, Avelo has flown more than 200,000 customers to or from Wilmington, nearly doubling the prior record set in 2014. It also broke the previous mark of 104,488 enplanements, or passengers who boarded in Wilmington, that was set by Frontier Airlines in 2014.
Today, Avelo serves 11 nonstop destinations from its ILG base and employs about 100 crewmembers, including pilots, flight attendants, airport crewmembers, aircraft maintenance technicians and supervisors here.
This month, the airline marked another first for Delaware in its inaugural flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico – the first time a commercial flight from Delaware had left the continental United States.
“Since taking flight in February, more than 200,000 customers have discovered the convenience, reliability and affordability of flying Avelo at greater Philly’s most travel-friendly airport — Wilmington Airport. The inaugural flight to San Juan is the latest example of the smooth and seamless travel experience Avelo is bringing to the four-state Delaware Valley region,” said Avelo Airlines founder, Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy, adding that the airline was excited to serve the second-largest Puerto Rican community in the continental U.S.
Avelo will fly to San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) from Delaware twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, utilizing a Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplane. One-way fares start at $99 for a promotional period.
“It is exciting to see Avelo continue to expand here in Delaware. With flights to San Juan beginning this week, Delawareans have even more opportunities for affordable, convenient travel, and residents of our neighboring states have another great reason to visit Delaware,” Gov. John Carney said in a statement.
