Avelo adds 2nd route to San Juan, this time from Delaware
Avelo Airlines is looking to capitalize off its foray into Puerto Rico with a new route.
The startup budget carrier is looking to launch flights from its base in Wilmington, Delaware, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, starting Nov. 15 and operating twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The new route will become the Delaware airport's first outside the continental U.S., according to Avelo.
The Wilmington-San Juan route will be Avelo's second to a destination outside the continental U.S. after announcing a route to the Puerto Rico capital last week from New Haven, Connecticut.
Avelo is also adding a route from Wilmington Airport (ILG) to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), which will launch Nov. 2, with twice-weekly service on Thursdays and Sundays.
The expansion at ILG comes after Avelo scrapped two routes from ILG and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) due to low passenger demand.
With the addition of San Juan and Sarasota, Florida, Avelo will now fly to 15 destinations from ILG, a remarkable turnaround for the Delaware airport that had no commercial air service six months ago.
Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said since launching flights out of Wilmington in February, the carrier has already flown around 125,000 passengers from ILG.
"With winter right around the corner, San Juan and Sarasota are the latest examples of how Avelo is inspiring travel across the region with an irresistible mix of popular destinations to choose from," Levy said in a statement.
To announce the news, Avelo held a similar ceremony in Wilmington to one it hosted in New Haven on Aug. 1, featuring Puerto Rican food and drinks inspired by Sarasota, Florida.
Delaware's Sen. Tom Carper lauded Avelo's growth at ILG.
"The return of commercial air travel out of Delaware continues to be a success," Carper said in a statement. "Now, with yet another expansion of service to popular destinations like San Juan and Sarasota, the Wilmington Airport and our region will continue to see economic benefits and business growth while providing addition options for travelers."
Since launching in 2021, Avelo has ridden a surge of momentum, spending much of the past two years expanding its route map. In an interview with TPG in June, Levy foreshadowed Avelo's growth in Puerto Rico, saying that Avelo was interested in expanding its destination list beyond the continental U.S. The Avelo CEO also mentioned that the carrier was interested in expanding its presence to Mexico and the Caribbean in the future.
Avelo's business model relies on connecting smaller cities with little to no commercial air service to popular leisure destinations like San Juan. While Avelo has seen significant growth with this business model, it is still unclear if Avelo can maintain this growth and demand in the long term.
For now, Avelo is celebrating its growth in Delaware, a state where carriers like Delta Air Lines and Frontier Airlines found it difficult to maintain a presence.
Delaware Gov. John Carney said the state was "grateful" for Avelo's expansion and hoped that more flyers would flock to ILG with the announcement of the new routes.
"We are excited to welcome more visitors to the First State and give our residents additional affordable and convenient travel opportunities," he said in a statement.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.