One of two, low-cost airlines vying for an increasing share of Connecticut’s air travel business will add five, nonstop destinations in the new year divided between Tweed New Haven Airport and Bradley International Airport.
Beginning in February and staggered through the spring, Avelo Airlines will add twice weekly service to Jacksonville, FL, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, Detroit, MI and Portland, Maine. Service to Detroit and Portland will be seasonal.
At Bradley, Avelo will add seasonal, twice-weekly service to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic starting in February. The addition will bring the number of international routes offered by Avelo at Connecticut’s largest international airport to three, joining Cancun, Mexico and Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The expansion announced Monday will bring the number of nonstop destinations marketed by Avelo to 34 since the airline first started serving Connecticut three years ago at Tweed New Haven. Earlier this year, Avelo said it also would begin service from Bradley.
While there are some of the same domestic, non-stop destinations offered at both Tweed New Haven and Bradley, international travel is only allowed at Bradley.
Service to Jacksonville begins Feb. 14; Dallas-Fort Worth, March 7; Detroit, April 4 and Portland, May 22.
Avelo’s flights to the Dominican Republic are expected to launch Feb. 21, but government approval by that country is still pending, Avelo said.
Avelo and low-cost competitor Breeze Airways have been expanding rapidly in Connecticut, each now serving Tweed New Haven and Bradley. Breeze will launch its first flights from Tweed New Haven on Tuesday.
Andrew Levy, Avelo’s chief executive, said that nearly three million customers in Connecticut have flown on Avelo since it launched service in the state.
“Avelo’s purpose is to Inspire Travel, and we are very optimistic about the opportunities ahead of us to make travel easier, more affordable and more dependable for people across Connecticut,” Levy said, in a release.
“Inspire Travel” is part of the airline’s marketing campaign.
Monday’s announcement was accompanied by a low-fare promotion of $39, one-way between Tweed New Haven and Maine’s Portland International Jetport. Fares must be booked by Dec. 16 for travel between May 29 and June 8. The fare includes government taxes and fees, but flights and seats are limited.
There are additional fees for carry-on and checked bags, assigned seats and other services. There also is a $25 per seated traveler charge or for changes to bookings through Avelo’s cusotmer support center.
While the other announced destinations Monday do not qualify for the $39 promotion, an Avelo spokesman said Avelo’s fares are among the lowest offered by an airline.
New Haven is now Avelo’s largest base of workers, employing nearly 300, supporting nine aircraft and flying to 31 nonstop destinations. Since service began at Tweed in Nov. 2021, it has flown 20,000 flights.
Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.