Avelo arrives: TVC adds summer flights to New Haven

Bill O'Brien, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·3 min read

Mar. 21—TRAVERSE CITY — Cherry Capital Airport will add a new airline and destination spot this summer as Avelo Airlines will offer weekly air service to Tweed-New Haven Airport in southern Connecticut.

Airport officials announced the new air service Wednesday morning at a media event at TVC airport. The airline will offer weekly flights on Saturdays beginning June 15, continuing at least through the Labor Day weekend, Avelo Communications Director Courtney Goff said.

Avelo becomes the sixth airline — and 20th non-stop flight — servicing TVC. The airport in February also announced seasonal direct flights to Houston through United Airlines starting June 29.

"We know that not only are we going to be a great opportunity for those in the northern Michigan area to get to southern Connecticut, but also to get them to New York City," Goff said.

Avelo Airlines, a low-cost air carrier based in Houston, launched in April 2021 after transitioning from a charter flight operation known as Casino Express Airlines and Xtra Airways. According to the company's website, it serves 50 destinations in 24 states and Puerto Rico from its base airports in Los Angeles, New Haven, Orlando, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham and Las Vegas.

The company says it achieved the lowest flight cancellation rate in 2023 in the U.S., and was ranked second in on-time reliability based on international transportation consultant Anuvu's third-party data platform. The airline also offers seasonal air service from Michigan airports in Lansing and Kalamazoo to Orlando, Goff said.

Goff said one-way fares will start at $62 between Traverse City and New Haven. The service will feature the Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, which at 189 seats is among the largest aircraft serving the airport. Cherry Capital CEO Kevin Klein said the flights will arrive at TVC at 10:10 a.m., and depart about an hour later to arrive back in New Haven around 12:50 p.m.

Avelo also allows children 13 and under to fly with an accompanying adult at no added cost, and for customers to change or cancel their itineraries without additional fees.

The additional flights and airline will bolster travel options at TVC, which is coming off a record year in 2023 of more than 700,000 passengers, making it Michigan's third-busiest passenger airport last year.

Klein said flier counts for 2024 are currently running 9.4 percent ahead of last year's record pace.

"As our sixth airline to join the Traverse City family, Avelo provides low-fare opportunities — $62 one way — to our community, and offers access to the New England states typically served by our traditional network carriers," Klein said.

Goff said the service will continue at least through the Labor Day weekend, although the flight schedule could be extended depending on its popularity. The airline will consider future expansion to link some of its other service hubs to Traverse City, including the Raleigh-Durham airport, the central Florida area and Midwest cities, including Chicago and St. Louis, Goff said.

As a financial incentive to secure the service, Klein said TVC agreed to waive landing fees for Avelo aircraft for the next three years. That's worth about $40,000 a year to the airline, depending on the frequency of the flights. The airport also committed $50,000 to marketing the new service, to be partially underwritten by Traverse City Tourism.

"We do very strategic marketing to help make sure all of our non-stop flights are a success here in Traverse City and at the Cherry Capital Airport," TC Tourism President & CEO Trevor Tkach said. "We've partnered with a variety of other destination organizations, economic development organizations and businesses in this region to ensure that a light is being shined on northern Michigan as we grow together."

Airport officials said the growth of the region's golf industry also was a factor in securing the new service, as the Traverse City and Gaylord areas are becoming increasingly popular with golf enthusiasts from throughout the country, including the New England region.

"There's definitely a golf-centric metric to this route," Klein said.