Sneak peek: America's newest airline paints its first jet
Benji Stawski is a former reporter for the site, covering all things points, miles, credit cards, travel and aviation.
Feb. 21, 2021
•
2 min read
Sneak peek: America's newest airline paints its first jet
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America’s newest airline is one step closer to taking off.
Avelo Airlines, a start-up airline by former Allegiant and United Airlines executive Andrew Levy, has just rolled its first aircraft out of the paint shop. The plane, spotted by eagle-eyed AvGeeks at Indianapolis International Airport (IND), is decked out in a modern blue, white and yellow color scheme. It's definitely on the more conventional side compared to the flashy blue livery of the US's other new start-up carrier, Breeze Airways.
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Avelo's first jet is a Boeing 737-800, registered N803XT. It's not a completely new plane, however. The jet is 15 years old and was originally operated by Turkish Airlines.
While we don't know yet what the interior looks like, we do know that the plane will feature 189 seats in a single-class configuration. That'll be a tight squeeze, but makes sense given the airline's low-cost model.
The airline will be based in Houston, Texas and operate point-to-point routes, connecting underserved, secondary airports with domestic leisure markets. This is a similar business model to Breeze, but with a larger aircraft and slightly different destinations. “The best way to compete in the airline industry is to not compete," Levy said in an interview last year.
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Related: Neeleman’s new airline Breeze to first fly routes in eastern U.S.
No launch date has been set, though Avelo will likely begin operations sometime this year. The airline is already hiring crewmembers in cities like Houston, Burbank and Chicago.
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Featured image by (Photo by Jackson Wanstrath/@planespottingcvg)
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Good, Excellent
Why We Chose It
It's hard to find a card that competes with the mile-long list of benefits that come with the Amex Business Platinum. While it's certainly not the card for the average consumer, a business owner with tons of expenses -- especially related to travel -- will find this card incredibly valuable. This card is similar to the consumer version that Amex offers, but with more business-oriented perks around statement credits and earning rates that are a better fit for business owners.Pros
- An up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four to five years
- Up to $400 annual credit for eligible U.S. Dell purchases (enrollment required)
- Gold status at Marriott and Hilton hotels (enrollment required)
- Access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and Hotel Collection
- Extended warranty protection
- International Airline Program and Cruise Privileges Program
Cons
- Steep annual fee
- Difficulty meeting $15,000 welcome offer for smaller businesses
- Limited high-bonus categories outside of travel
- The Points Guy Exclusive Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. CLEAR® is available at more than 50 U.S. airports and stadiums.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more lounge location options than any other credit card on the market as of 9/2021.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.