Avelo Airlines facts for kids
An Avelo Airlines Boeing 737-800
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| Founded |
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|---|---|
| Commenced operations | April 28, 2021 (as Avelo Airlines) |
| AOC # | BJNA472B |
| Operating bases | |
| Fleet size | 22 |
| Destinations | 54 |
| Parent company | Avelo, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Key people | Andrew Levy (Chairman & CEO) |
| Employees | 1,100+ |
Avelo Airlines is an American airline based in Houston, Texas. It's known for offering flights at very low prices. Before it became Avelo Airlines, it operated special charter flights for groups as Casino Express Airlines and Xtra Airways.
Avelo Airlines officially started flying scheduled passenger flights on April 8, 2021. Its very first flight took off on April 28, 2021. It flew from Hollywood Burbank Airport in California to Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport.
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Avelo Airlines: How It Started
From Casino Express to Xtra Airways
The airline began on July 20, 1987, as Casino Express Airlines. It started flying in 1989. At first, it used Boeing 737-200 planes. These planes flew only for the Red Lion Hotel and Casino in Elko, Nevada. Casino Express offered direct flights from Elko Regional Airport to many cities across the U.S.
By 1994, Casino Express was flying weekend trips. These flights went non-stop from Elko to Portland, Oregon, and Seattle. For these routes, they used McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets. In 1999, for a short time, Casino Express Airlines helped a new airline called Tahoe Air. They used one Boeing 737-200 for Tahoe Air's flights. These flights connected South Lake Tahoe Airport to Los Angeles International Airport and San Jose International Airport.
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Casino Express soon started flying for many different groups. These included sports teams, government groups, and other businesses. To show its wider focus, the airline changed its name. On December 8, 2005, it became Xtra Airways.
From 2007 to 2012, Xtra Airways used two Boeing 737-400 planes. These planes flew for an airline business called Direct Air. In 2015, Xtra Airways changed the design on its planes. The new look featured flag blue and red stripes.
In September 2016, Xtra Airways began flying a Boeing 737-800. This plane had a special sky-blue and white design. It also had "Stronger Together" written on it. This plane was used for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Soon after, another plane, a Boeing 737-400, was also used by the campaign. It had a sky-blue stripe and "Clinton/Kaine" written on it.
Avelo Airlines Takes Flight
In August 2018, Andrew Levy bought Xtra Airways. He was a former leader at other big airlines. His goal was to turn the charter airline into a low-cost carrier. By this time, Xtra had sold most of its planes. However, it kept one Boeing 737-400. This was important to keep its special flying license.
In February 2020, Levy announced a new company for Xtra. It was called Houston Air Holdings, Inc. This name showed its headquarters in Houston. The company also raised US$125 million in funding that month. It also received its first plane from GE Capital Aviation Services. This was all part of its plan to start scheduled flights later in 2020.
On April 8, 2021, the new airline was announced as Avelo Airlines. It started selling tickets for flights from Hollywood Burbank Airport in California. Its first routes connected Burbank to eleven cities that didn't have direct flights. These flights started between April 28 and May 20, 2021. Avelo began with three Boeing 737-800 planes. It planned to have six by the end of 2021.
Other airlines reacted to Avelo's new flights. American Airlines used a larger plane on its route between Phoenix Sky Harbor and Burbank. Alaska Airlines announced a new flight between Burbank and Santa Rosa. Avelo's first flight was on April 28, 2021. It flew from Burbank to Santa Rosa's Sonoma County Airport.
Avelo later announced it would stop flights to Bozeman and Grand Junction by September 2021. However, it added five new cities. These included Fort Collins, Las Vegas, Monterey, Provo, and St. George. The planned flights to Monterey, Provo, and St. George were later canceled.
After its California launch, Avelo announced a new base. On May 6, 2021, it said it would open a base at Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut. Avelo also planned to invest US$1.2 million in the New Haven airport. It would use Boeing 737-700 planes for flights from this new base. By August 19, 2021, details for New Haven flights were shared. Four routes from New Haven to Florida cities were announced for November 2021. By the end of 2024, New Haven became Avelo's largest base. It offered flights to 26 cities.
On January 6, 2022, Avelo announced it had raised an extra US$42 million. This brought its total investment to over US$160 million. In 2022, Avelo opened three more bases. These were at Orlando International Airport in April, New Castle Airport in Delaware in October, and Raleigh–Durham International Airport in November. In September 2023, the airline opened its sixth base in Las Vegas. However, this base moved to Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa in May 2024. The airline made its first profit in the last three months of 2023.
In February 2024, Avelo planned to add five more planes to its fleet. These planes came from a Brazilian airline called GOL. More planes were also acquired from Aerolíneas Argentinas and Southwest Airlines in the same year. In July, Avelo announced its biggest expansion yet. It added 18 new routes and new bases at Bradley International Airport in Hartford and Lakeland Linder Airport. It also started flying to the Dominican Republic and Mexico for the first time. Andrew Levy said the airline helps people visit friends and family with direct flights. More routes from Santa Rosa to Ontario and Salt Lake City were announced in August. However, these were stopped a few months later.
Special Contract and Public Reaction
In April 2025, Avelo Airlines signed a special agreement. This was for a long-term charter program with a U.S. government agency. The company opened a new base at Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona. Flights for this contract began on May 12, 2025. At the same time, Avelo stopped flights to and from Boise, Idaho. The three Boeing 737-800 planes used for Boise were moved to serve the new contract flights.
Justin Elicker, the mayor of New Haven, where Avelo has its largest base, spoke out against the agreement. He signed a petition and asked Avelo's president to rethink it. The company also faced calls for people to stop using its services. Leaders in Sonoma County, California, also criticized Avelo. They noted the airline would close its base at the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport. This meant moving employees for the new contract. Board Chair Lynda Hopkins said she would not support the airline anymore. She criticized Avelo for taking on this contract instead of helping the local tourism. City leaders in Portland, Maine, also thought about removing a program that helps airlines start new direct flights. This would affect Avelo and other airlines in Portland. Avelo had only started flying to Portland in January 2025.
On July 14, 2025, Avelo announced it would close its Burbank base. It also said it would stop all operations on the West Coast by December. The airline stated this was due to market conditions.
Avelo's Main Office
Avelo's main office is located at 12 Greenway Plaza in Houston, Texas.
Where Avelo Flies
Avelo flies to many cities within the eastern and western parts of the United States. Before it became Avelo, the airline (as Casino Express and Xtra Airways) flew special charter flights across North and South America.
Avelo's Planes
Current Fleet
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As of July 2025, Avelo Airlines uses only Boeing 737 planes. Here's a look at their current fleet:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-700 | 8 | — | 149 | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 14 | — | 189 | |
| Total | 22 | — | ||
Past Planes
Casino Express Airlines and Xtra Airways, the airlines before Avelo, used these planes:
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-200 | 7 | 1994 | 2005 | |
| Boeing 737-300 | 1 | 2010 | 2011 | Moved to iAero Airways. |
| Boeing 737-400 | 12 | 2006 | 2020 |
See also
In Spanish: Avelo Airlines para niños
- List of airlines of the United States
