Avelo Airlines has launched its first-ever international route as part of an expansion plan from Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, Connecticut—a major market for rival Breeze Airways.
The inaugural international service connects BDL with Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport (MBJ), Jamaica. Flights will be offered twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays using the airline’s Boeing 737 fleet.
In addition to targeting leisure travelers, Avelo aims to capture demand from the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market, as Connecticut boasts the fifth-largest Jamaican ancestry population among U.S. states. Census data shows that more than 56,000 residents in the state have Jamaican roots.
“This is a significant milestone for Avelo,” founder and CEO Andrew Levy says. “With a large Jamaican community residing in Connecticut, we are looking forward to making it easier for them to connect with family and friends.”
Shane Munroe, CEO of MBJ Airports, adds, “We are confident that this will not only boost tourism to Jamaica but also open more opportunities for cultural exchange and business between the two regions.”
The introduction of the service to Jamaica comes after Avelo on Nov. 7 opened a two-aircraft base at BDL, launching routes to five domestic points: Concord and Wilmington in North Carolina; Daytona Beach and Lakeland in Florida; and Houston Hobby. All routes will be flown 2X-weekly. A second international route will begin on Nov. 20 to Cancun, Mexico.
Avelo operates its largest base in southern Connecticut at Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), located some 56 mi. away from BDL. However, the launch of its base at BDL intensifies competition with rival Breeze, which ranks BDL as its fifth-largest airport by capacity as of November 2024.
Additionally, Breeze will begin flying from HVN on Dec. 10, launching 10 new nonstop routes. These include popular Florida destinations such as Fort Myers, Orlando, Vero Beach and West Palm Beach. The expansion also features flights to Charleston, Jacksonville, Norfolk, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond and Sarasota/Bradenton. Additionally, Breeze will offer a “thru service” to New Orleans.
The move directly challenges Avelo, which has maintained its primary East Coast base at HVN since launching three years ago. Analysis of OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Breeze will compete head-to-head with Avelo on six of the 10 routes.
Separately, BermudAir has confirmed the introduction of a new route from Bermuda to BDL, starting on April 3, 2025. Flights will be twice a week using Embraer 175 equipment. The carrier will also begin a 2X-weekly service to Raleigh-Durham from April 11 and a weekly route to Charleston from April 19.