Avelo Airlines will begin direct flights from Lakeland Linder to Connecticut in June

Avelo Airlines has announced its first routes bringing commercial passenger air service to Lakeland Linder International Airport.

Avelo will begin offering nonstop flights from Lakeland to New Haven, Connecticut, starting June 13. Tickets are available for purchase immediately with fares starting at $72 each direction. Flights will be offered to Tweed-New Haven Airport (code HVN) on Thursday and from there to Lakeland on Sunday, according to the Avelo website.

Avelo's announcement comes three months after it signed a deal with Lakeland officials to bring commercial passenger service to the municipal-owned airport. It will be the first carrier to offer commercial service from Lakeland Linder in over a decade.

"We did it, folks!" Lakeland Linder Airport Director Kris Hallstrand said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon at Lakeland Linder (LAL).

Hallstrand announced that Lakeland City Commissioner Mike Musick had purchased the first ticket for an Avelo flight from Lakeland.

Avelo, which is pronounced so it rhymes with yellow or jello, is an ultra low-cost carrier that launched out of Houston during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2021. It had rapidly expanded across the country to more than 48 airports.

Trevor Yealy, Avelo's head of commercial, also attended Wednesday's event, along with Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz, City Manager Shawn Sherrouse and Polk County Commissioner Martha Santiago.

"This turnout here is awesome and is a true testament to the support you will provide the air services," Yealy said. "I am confident that we will deliver on the convenient, reliable service you are all looking for."

He added: "We were founded in 2018 with one simple purpose, to inspire travel. We inspire travel by providing customers with more affordable, convenient and reliable air service options."

Santiago exulted at the return of commercial flights to Polk County.

"This is a dream come true that we have been waiting for," she said. "Even though we only have one [destination], I am sure there are more coming. We'll take the first one."

"This is a game-changer not only for Lakeland but for Polk County," Santiago added. "No more going to Orlando or Tampa, but going straight on (County Road) 540 to Lakeland to get on the plane and destination I want to."

In 2023, Avelo reported more than 2.3 million customers traveled on its planes. The carrier's fleet consists of 16 Boeing 737-800 aircraft that have a single-aisle with the ability to transport between 147 to 189 passengers.

Its primary focus is providing flights to smaller secondary markets, or smaller urban cities. Some of the airline's main hubs are Connecticut's Tweed-New Haven Airport, Wilmington Philadelphia Airport and Los Angeles' Hollywood Burbank Airport.

"It's wonderful for us to be able to take the beginning of this," Mutz said. "Whereas you may have hoped for a broader schedule and more cities on initial introduction, this is a way for us to all get started."

Avelo's potential travelers should know the ultra low-budget carrier offers many optional services at an additional cost. Customers are allowed bring one free personal item on board, but will be charged a fee for carry-on baggage. Passengers can choose priority boarding for $15, but pre-selecting a seat starts at $11 or $39 for a seat with extra legroom.

Tech-savvy travelers can take comfort in changing or canceling their plans online at no extra cost. Any changes that require a call to Avelo's customer service will incur a $25 fee.

"We’re proud to be the only airline serving LAL and are excited to introduce Lakeland to Avelo’s low fares, travel-friendly convenience and industry-leading reliability," Avelo Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said in a news release. "Getting to Southern Connecticut — the gateway to New England and New York — is now easier than ever. This exclusive nonstop service will also make exploring Central Florida, and all Lakeland has to offer, a fast and seamless journey for Connecticut visitors."

He added: "This is just the start of Avelo’s partnership with LAL and Central Florida.”

Learn more: What you need to know before booking Avelo

As Avelo takes flight at Lakeland Linder, the airline's various operating fees — terminal use, landing fees and fuel flowage fees — will be waived under an airport incentive program based on its level of operations for up to two years.

“We have found the perfect partner at the right time, and we are excited to watch this opportunity grow,” Hallstrand said in the news release.

Lakeland officials have agreed to contribute $30,000 a year toward localized marketing of Avelo's services to potential passengers in Polk County. As a start to this, the city unveiled a new logo for "Lakeland International Airport" earlier this month.

Hallstrand said the municipal airport will look to make revenue from increased traffic to related services such as concession and food sales, fees paid by transportation companies such as Uber and Lyft picking up passengers, and a percentage of rental car sales as Avis and Budget are poised to move in.

While Waco Kitchen offers a sit-down dining experience at the airport, there have not been any recent announcements about food or consumer-related concessions coming to Lakeland Linder.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Avelo will begin direct flights from Lakeland to Connecticut in June