The US State Of Delaware Has No Scheduled Flights With Legacy Carriers This Year

US ultra-low-cost carrier

Avelo Airlines

has grown dramatically since its launch in 2021. In the past three years, the airline has

rapidly expanded its network

from its initial base at Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR).

Avelo currently serves destinations across the US from its six hubs, providing passengers with affordable and reliable air travel. The airline’s focus on smaller airports has resulted in major growth at airports previously underserved.

Delaware’s only commercial airport, Wilmington-New Castle (ILG), has a particularly significant relationship with Avelo. Since the airline began service there in 2022, it has nearly tripled its route network and spurred major development at the airport.

Currently, ILG is served by just one airline: Avelo. No legacy carrier serves the airport, although American Airlines will begin landline services from ILG to Philadelphia (PHL) in October.

Avelo Airlines: Rapid growth

Avelo Airlines is a US ultra-low-cost airline based at Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. The airline’s predecessor, Casino Express Airlines, was founded in 1987 to transport casino patrons from various US cities to Elko, Nevada. The airline’s unique business model set it apart from other charter services and made it extremely popular with visitors to the Red Lion Hotel and Casino.

As the airline travel market changed, Casino Express saw the need to expand its services beyond casino charter flights. In 2005, the airline underwent a massive rebranding, changing its name to Xtra Airways.

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Along with this new name, the airline added additional routes across the United States and began expanding its operations. Xtra Airways also upgraded its services and fleet in an effort to appeal to a wider customer base.

On April 8, 2021, the airline transitioned to scheduled operations and rebranded as Avelo Airlines. According to Avelo, the new airline was founded with a simple mission:

Its initial route network consisted of eleven unserved destinations from Burbank (BUR). The airline used its fleet of Boeing 737s to provide nonstop service between these cities across the Western US. From then on,

the airline seemed to be successful in whatever it put its mind to

.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

On May 6, 2021, Avelo announced its plans to open a new base at Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut (HVN). The airline’s statement recounted its $1.2 million investment into the airport to “upgrade and modernize facilities and operations.” Avelo decided to operate its single-class 737-700 aircraft at HVN to provide a more comfortable experience than the smaller regional jets serving the airport.

The following January, Avelo announced that it had raised $42 million in Series B funding, increasing the airline’s capital base to over $160 million. Avelo Founder, Chairman, and CEO Andrew Levy commented on this achievement, calling it:

“A significant vote of confidence in Avelo’s initial momentum and the enormous opportunity ahead of us,”

Wilmington Airport and Avelo Airlines

As Avelo gained traction, it began looking to other airports for expansion opportunities. In 2022, the airline established three additional bases:

• Orlando International Airport (MCO)
• Wilmington-New Castle Airport (ILG)
• Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)

While Avelo maintained steady growth at each of its bases, it found a particular demand for routes serving Delaware’s Wilmington Airport (ILG). The small airport, formerly known as New Castle Airport, is located five miles (8 km) south of Wilmington and about 30 miles (50 km) from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Avelo initially based one 737-700 Next-Generation (NG) at ILG, seating 149 passengers. The aircraft served five destinations in Florida.

In April 2023, the airline announced its plans to add nine new nonstop destinations from the airport, nearly tripling its previous number of routes. According to Avelo’s statement, this expansion represented the largest number of nonstop routes ever offered at ILG.

Additionally, the airline decided to replace its 737-700 NG with a larger 737-800 NG, adding 40 additional seats per flight. The expansion also required the airline to add a second 737-800 NG to be based at Wilmington.

Avelo’s new routes from ILG, which included destinations in five Eastern US states, were met with excitement in the Wilmington community and surrounding areas. Per PR Newswire, the Executive Director of the Delaware River and Bay Authority, Thomas J. Cook, expressed enthusiasm over what Avelo’s service would mean for the state’s only commercial airport.

“Today’s announcement is historic… Our focus is to be the airport of choice for people in Delaware, South Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland who seek low fares, quality service and a convenient airport experience.”

The new routes and aircraft meant Avelo needed to hire around 35 new ILG-based pilots, flight attendants, airline customer support staff, aircraft maintenance technicians, and supervisors. These additional jobs grew Avelo’s Wilmington-based employment to more than 100 crewmembers and led to growth in the airport’s employment as well.

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Avelo Airlines at ILG today

After Frontier’s final withdrawal from service at ILG in June 2022, Avelo earned its place as the airport’s only service provider. The airline’s monopoly on flights at ILG (Delaware’s sole commercial airport) means it is the only commercial airline currently serving the state.

This fact seems almost unreal when compared to the data on flights from other states. Per OAG, Delaware is the only US state without any scheduled flights from legacy carriers in 2024.

Even the state with the next lowest seat total for legacy carriers, New Jersey, still has 10,448 seats. When examining seats from low-cost carriers, however, Delaware is higher than four other states: Wyoming, Alaska, Vermont, and West Virginia.

A mainline carrier at ILG?

While travelers currently looking for flights to or from ILG must book with Avelo, this will not be the case for long. Well, sort of.

According to First State Update, American Airlines will add a Landline service connecting ILG to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in October. This “tarmac-to-tarmac” service by American involves luxury motorcoaches, which will transport passengers from ILG to PHL to catch American flights from the airline’s Pennsylvania hub.

Photo: American Airlines

Passengers will be able to clear security at the smaller, less-crowded ILG, check any bags, and board a premium motorcoach at the airport’s departure gates. After arriving at a secure gate at PHL’s Terminal F, passengers can proceed to their next gate to continue their connecting flight.

According to American, this experience offers many of the same amenities as a flight and is booked the same way as the airline’s other connecting flights. The motorcoaches have 35 leather seats arranged in a two by one seating configuration. Each seat features 36 inches of seat pitch, similar to that offered in a premium cabin on a regional jet. All seats have free WiFi and in-seat power.

American Airlines’ move to provide service to ILG passengers is unquestionably a creative tactic. However, Avelo’s aircraft seems to continue to rule the skies over the airport.

Delaware’s only commercial airport has dramatically benefited from Avelo’s dedication to providing reliable service to and from the region. It will be interesting to see if any other low-cost carriers attempt to move into Avelo’s territory in the coming years.