Avelo Airlines Expands: New Routes and What They Mean for Travelers

Alright, alright, let's talk Avelo. More routes, more cities, more...fees. Give me a break. So, they're adding flights from Lakeland, Charlotte, and Chicago. Big whoop.

Lakeland Gets Some Love (Maybe)

Lakeland, Florida, is apparently Avelo's new darling. Nonstop to Atlanta (ATL) and Detroit (DTW) starting February 2026. Five times a week to Atlanta, twice to Detroit. Oh, and it conveniently coincides with Spring Training for the Detroit Tigers. Smart move, Avelo. Capitalizing on the snowbirds and baseball fanatics.

Avelo CEO Andrew Levy bleats about "inspiring more travel." Yeah, inspiring more travel by dangling cheap fares and then nickel-and-diming you for every damn carry-on and assigned seat. It's like those "free" cell phones that end up costing you a fortune in monthly fees. But hey, at least you get to escape the Polar Vortex for a few days. Or maybe you're just trying to see Miggy Cabrera before he hangs up his cleats – if he ain't already.

And, oh yeah, they're adding a third weekly flight between Grand Rapids and Rochester to Lakeland. Because who doesn't dream of flying between western Michigan and upstate New York via Central Florida? Makes perfect sense...not.

Charlotte and Chicago Join the Party

Avelo's also spreading the "love" to Charlotte’s Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (USA) and Chicago (ORD). Nonstop flights to Chicago and Nashville from Charlotte, starting February 12, 2026. Four flights a week, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Because everyone wants to spend their Mondays and Fridays crammed into a Boeing Next-Generation 737.

And speaking of those 737s... Boeing, Boeing... Don't even get me STARTED on their quality control lately. Are we sure these planes aren't held together with duct tape and prayers? Just asking the real questions here.

New nonstop routes from Chicago via O’Hare International Airport (ORD) are starting March 12, 2026, with four flights per week on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Avelo Launches New Chicago, Atlanta and Nashville Routes - Travel Agent Central

They’re adding a second aircraft in February 2026 to their Central Florida base at Lakeland International Airport (LAL). So more planes, more routes, more chances for delays and cancellations. Offcourse, Avelo assures us it's all smooth sailing. Right.

The Fine Print (and the Hidden Fees)

One-way fares starting at $34 or $35. Sounds amazing, right? Wrong. That's just the hook to get you in. Then come the fees. Carry-on bags? Fee. Checked bags? Fee. Assigned seats? Fee. Breathing the air on the plane? Probably a fee coming soon. It's like Ryanair, but with slightly less legroom.

Avelo brags about serving 41 cities in 15 states and Puerto Rico, plus a few international spots. They serve 16 nonstop destinations from their Philadelphia/Delaware Valley’s Wilmington Airport (ILG) base, 10 from Charlotte’s Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (USA) base, and 10 from Central Florida’s Lakeland International Airport (LAL) base. Impressive? Maybe. But how many of those routes are actually profitable, and how many are just vanity projects to puff up their numbers?

Most Avelo routes include at least one small, convenient airport. Convenient for whom? Avelo, probably. They get cheaper landing fees and less competition. You get to fly into some podunk airport an hour away from your actual destination. Win-win? I think not.

So, What's the Endgame Here?

Avelo introduced service from Lakeland in June 2024, and then seasonally suspended the Michigan and Rochester routes for most of September and October. So much for consistency. Since taking flight on April 28, 2021, Avelo has flown more than 8.2 million customers on over 66,000 flights. That's a lot of people willingly subjecting themselves to budget airline hell.

Look, I get it. Flying sucks. It's expensive, it's crowded, and it's stressful. Avelo is trying to offer a cheaper alternative. But let's be real: you get what you pay for. Cramped seats, hidden fees, and the constant fear of getting nickel-and-dimed to death. Is it worth it? That's for you to decide. But don't come crying to me when your "cheap" flight ends up costing you more than a ticket on American Airlines.

They're Building a House of Cards

Avelo's playing a dangerous game. They're expanding rapidly, adding routes and bases, and relying on rock-bottom fares to fill seats. But what happens when fuel prices spike? What happens when there's a major economic downturn? What happens when people finally get fed up with the hidden fees and the mediocre service? The whole thing could collapse like a house of cards. Then again, maybe I'm just being cynical. Nah.

It's Just Another Way to Fleece Us