Avelo Airlines goes international at Wilmington International Airport - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Avelo Airlines departs its first East Coast base at Southern Connecticut’s Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN). America’s most reliable and convenient airline launched April 2021 in Los Angeles/Burbank, flies to nearly 50 destinations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as three international destinations: Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic (PRNewsfoto/Avelo Airlines)

Avelo operates this route twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays utilizing Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. This exclusive route expands Avelo's affordable, convenient and industry-leading reliable air service introduced to Wilmington and the Island Beaches in June 2022. Travelers can book at AveloAir.com.

Avelo is commemorating its inaugural flight to Punta Cana this morning with a celebration at ILM with a Dominican Republic flag celebration, sweet treats from ILM airport and Avelo fanfare. As Customers arrive in Punta Cana, they will experience a warm welcome with water-cannon salute and festive music.

Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy said, "Our inaugural international service to Punta Cana from ILM is a significant milestone for Avelo and Wilmington. Our mission is to Inspire Travel, and the addition of international service to our expansive route network offers our Customers even more choices. As the first and only airline offering international service from ILM, we are making it more convenient and affordable for our Wilmington-area Customers to enjoy the D.R. and our 15 popular destinations, while making it easier for visitors to experience the best of Coastal North Carolina."

ILM Airport Director Jeff Bourk said, "Thank you to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and all the other stakeholders involved for your support in preparing the facility to handle scheduled commercial international service for the first time in ILM's history. And a big thank you to Avelo for the wonderful Christmas gift of launching international service to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!"

Growing Avelo at Wilmington International Airport
Avelo established ILM as a Crewmember base and base of operations on April 3, 2025, and currently has two Boeing Next-Generation 737s based at the airport. This represents the airline's investment in Wilmington and enables Avelo to significantly broaden its convenient, affordable and reliable air service across Coastal North Carolina. Since taking flight at ILM in June 2022, Avelo has flown more than 580,000 Customers on nearly 5,000 flights.

To support its base, Avelo continues to create more jobs in Wilmington aviation for individuals at all stages of their career including pilots, flight attendants, ground services, Customer support and more.

Avelo serves 15 nonstop destinations from ILM: Boston / Manchester, N.H. (MHT); Detroit, Mich. (DTW); Nashville, Tenn. (BNA); New Haven, Conn. (HVN); New York / Long Island (ISP); Philadelphia / Wilmington, Del. (ILG); Punta Cana, D.R. (PUJ); Rochester, N.Y. (ROC); Washington, D.C. / Baltimore, Md. (BWI); Washington, D.C. – Dulles (IAD); and six Florida cities: Fort Lauderdale (FLL); Fort Myers (RSW); Orlando (MCO); Tampa (TPA); and West Palm Beach (PBI).

America's Most Reliable and Convenient Airline
Since taking flight on April 28, 2021, Avelo has flown more than 8.6 million Customers on over 68,000 flights. Today Avelo serves 41 cities spanning 15 states and Puerto Rico, as well as three international destinations: Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Avelo has unlocked a new era of convenience, choice, and competition by flying to primarily underserved communities across the country. Most Avelo routes include at least one small, convenient airport. This makes traveling with Avelo a smoother, easier and more enjoyable experience than contending with the crowds, congestion and long walks at larger airports.

Avelo is distinguished by its industry-leading reliability. In 2024, Avelo ranked #1 in on-time performance and achieved the lowest flight cancellation rate in the U.S. airline industry. These results are provided by Anuvu, a leading aviation data services company also utilized by The Wall Street Journal for the publication's annual airline ranking. Anuvu's complete industry results and rankings are available at AveloAir.com.

Avelo also delivers world-class customer satisfaction, exemplified by our Net Promoter Scores (NPS), which consistently rank among the best airlines and most admired brands in the world.

Avelo Airlines launched Avelo PLUS in Fall 2025, a new membership program offering travelers exclusive benefits and savings. Members enjoy benefits like discounted fares, free priority boarding, special promotions, a $50 renewal bonus, and the ability to share perks with up to nine others. Designed to add value and convenience, Avelo PLUS enhances the airline's affordable service with added rewards for loyal customers.

Avelo also offers a range of seating options. These include Standard, Stretch, and Stretch+ seating. Stretch provides extra legroom, with pitch ranging from 32 inches to over 36 inches. Stretch+ features a unique upgrade where the middle seat is blocked for added comfort and space. Customers can also purchase window and aisle seats in advance of their flight. In addition to advanced seat assignments, Avelo offers several unbundled travel-enhancing options that give Customers the flexibility to pay only for what they value, including priority boarding, checked bags, carry-on overhead bags, and a pet in the cabin.

Additionally, families can travel with ease knowing every child 14 and under will be automatically seated with an accompanying adult at no additional cost.

Picture Credit: © Avelo Airlines