Avelo Airlines Announces New Direct Route from Wilmington to San Juan
Avelo Airlines, a newcomer in the industry, has announced its second direct route in the past 10 days. Starting from November 15, the airline will offer a new direct route from the Wilmington Airport to the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. This route will be available twice a week and is expected to generate an economic impact of around $12 million. Not only will it bring additional seats to inventory, but it will also provide an accessible and convenient alternative for residents of the Philadelphia/Delaware region to experience the diverse activities and world-class offerings that Puerto Rico has to offer.
Carlos Mercado Santiago, the executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (CTPR), expressed his excitement about this new development, stating that it is of great benefit to Puerto Rico. He commended Avelo Airlines for its promptness in announcing new flight options, especially from a market as important as the east coast of the continental United States.
Andrew Levy, the CEO and board member of Avelo Airlines, also expressed his pride in announcing the second direct flight to San Juan. He mentioned that this flight will allow residents of the Philadelphia/Delaware region to explore Puerto Rico’s diverse activities and world-class offerings.
Leah Chandler, the Chief Marketing Officer of Discover Puerto Rico, applauded Avelo Airlines’ initiative to establish flights between Wilmington and San Juan. She emphasized that this new route comes at the perfect time for the Christmas period and the travel season associated with winter.
This announcement follows the historical increase in air demand on the island. To meet the growing demand, the CTPR finalized the arrival of a new airline on August 2, which offers direct flights to Connecticut at more affordable prices. The airline will operate two weekly flights between Tweed-New Haven regional airport in Connecticut and the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. This marks the first and only nonstop flight between New Haven, Connecticut, and San Juan.
Carlos Mercado Santiago stated that Puerto Rico is honored to be chosen as the first destination outside the continental United States for Avelo Airlines. He emphasized that this expansion will increase the number of tourist airlines traveling to the island to 22.
Responding to questions, Mercado Santiago assured that there is sufficient demand to meet the new availability of seats, particularly due to the number of Puerto Ricans residing in Connecticut. Data from the Center for Puerto Ricans Studies (Center) shows that in 2019, more than 302,000 Puerto Ricans resided in Connecticut, representing 8.5% of the state’s total population.
Daniel Camejo, the Vice President General Counsel and Secretary of Avelo Airlines, explained that the decision to connect San Juan and New Haven was influenced by the strong and growing Puerto Rican community in southern Connecticut. Connecticut has one of the largest Puerto Rican communities in the United States.
Camejo also mentioned that the flights will start from $99, with a round trip costing around $200.
Founded in 2021 in Houston, Texas, Avelo Airlines aims to inspire travelers by providing affordable, convenient, and reliable air service. Since its inception, the airline has served over 2.5 million passengers on more than 20,000 flights, demonstrating significant growth. In addition to the new flight to Puerto Rico, Avelo Airlines offers destinations to New Haven, Wilmington, Orlando, Burbank, Raleigh-Durham, and Las Vegas.
With the addition of Avelo Airlines’ new routes, Puerto Rico is set to strengthen its tourism industry and attract more visitors from various parts of the United States.