Inaugural flights to eight new destinations took off from the Wilmington Airport Thursday.
Avelo Airlines’ 13 total destinations mark the most in the history of the airport.
Avelo adds eight new destinations going to and from the Wilmington Airport. They include Nashville, Tennessee; Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Greenville, South Carolina; and Daytona Beach, Florida.
Dandridge Myles is originally from Wilmington, North Carolina, and says she’ll be a frequent flier now that her hometown is a destination.
“This is really a game changer for me," Myles says. "I’ve been wanting to move home but I haven’t been able to do that because of my job and where my daughter like to go to school. But this makes it as if I’m close to home."
That flight of 150 passengers headed to Wilmington, North Carolina, including Myles, were surprised with a free round-trip voucher to any destination, good for one year.
Delaware River and Bay Authority Executive Director Tom Cook says Avelo is basing a second airplane at Wilmington too.
“They’re not really interested in the Philadelphia market and coming out of there, they want to come to a local airport like this where it’s convenient for the customer," Cook says. They can park real close to the airport, go through TSA in five or 10 minutes, and get on the airplane.”
Cook says Avelo Airlines’ success has exceeded expectations.
“The people have embraced it, and that’s what makes it a success," Cook says. "That’s what will make the officials at Avelo look at other sites to go to. It just builds upon itself. If people use this airport, it’s just going to continue to grow.”
Commercial flights started in February to five different Florida destinations and have flown over 50,000 passengers since. They expect another 100,000 this summer
Special introductory fares for flights to these new destinations start between $34 and $49.
