Avelo officially has a new base, and this time it’s in a major hub known for its gambling and bright neon lights.
The ultra-low-cost startup officially added Las Vegas as its sixth base on Thursday, launching flights from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) in Oregon.
Avelo plans to fly five new routes from its newest base. The other four routes go to Brownsville, Texas; Eureka/Arcata, California; Dubuque, Iowa; and Salem, Ore. While Avelo already flew between Las Vegas and Santa Rosa, California, the company will now double those flights to four days a week.
“We are excited to launch the exclusive non-stop access to Vegas that Avelo’s new base will provide our customers from these six communities, with more to come in the future,” Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement. declaration.
Avelo has been eyeing Las Vegas as a base for some time, as it is a popular holiday destination for ultra-low-cost airlines targeting leisure travelers. Levy told TPG in a June interview that Las Vegas was a logical step for the airline.
“Connecting many of the cities we serve today with Las Vegas is, in our view, a fairly low-risk proposition,” Levy said in June. “It just makes sense.”
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Las Vegas, which requires both recreational and business travel, is also a focus city for Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines, among others.
The discount startup has also gained significant momentum over the past year, adding a series of new routes across the country and in Puerto Rico. However, Levy cautioned that with its new base in Las Vegas, Avelo will most likely not add long-haul flights to the city. For example, a flight from the East Coast’s largest hub in New Haven, Connecticut, to Las Vegas likely won’t happen, Levy said in June.
That’s because Avelo’s network consists mainly of shorter flights between smaller cities, many of which have limited to no commercial air service.
Las Vegas is the second base Avelo has added in 2023; in February, Avelo made Wilmington, Delaware, a base.
As Avelo expands its presence in Las Vegas, it plans to hire more Las Vegas-based pilots, flight attendants, maintenance technicians and supervisors. The ultra-low-cost startup said it has already hired about 50 crew members and is considering adding another Boeing 737 to the airport in 2024, while retaining the option to add more destinations from the base.
“Vegas has something for everyone,” Levy said in a statement, “and Avelo’s affordability, convenience and reliability will make it easier than ever to reach this popular destination.”
Here is Avelo’s full flight schedule from Las Vegas:
- RDM: The first flight will depart on September 7, with twice-weekly service on Thursdays and Sundays.
- Sonoma County Airport (STS): Avelo’s existing schedule of two weekly flights will expand to four (Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday) beginning September 8.
- Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport (BRO): The first flight will depart on September 8, with twice-weekly service on Mondays and Fridays.
- California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV): The first flight will depart on September 8, with twice-weekly service on Mondays and Fridays.
- Dubuque Regional Airport (DBQ) in Iowa: The first flight will depart on September 13, with twice-weekly service on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- Salem Municipal Airport (SLE) in Oregon: The first flight will depart on October 5, with biweekly service on Thursdays and Sundays.