Avelo Airlines announced the addition of a seventh nonstop destination at Wilmington International Airport (ILM) on Thursday. Beginning June 22, the airline will offer service to Wilmington’s counterpart in Delaware: Wilmington Airport (ILG).
 
Located about 40 miles from Philadelphia, the new destination was billed as an easy alternative to flights into Philadelphia International Airport in a press release announcing the service. The airport also provides access to other Delaware Valley destinations, including southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and the northeastern shore of Maryland.
 
Introductory rates for one-way fares to Delaware’s Wilmington Airport start at $29, if flights are booked by May 1 and completed by Sept. 6. The biweekly service at ILM will operate on Thursday and Sunday afternoons using a 189-seat Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft.
 
Wilmington, Delaware, brings Wilmington International Airport’s total number of nonstop destinations to 17, of which seven are provided by low-cost carrier Avelo.
 
“We’re excited for more nonstops and more choices for travelers. Avelo’s service at ILM will result in a nearly 35% growth in enplanements in the coming year,” airport director Jeff Bourk said in the release. Enplanement refers to the number of passengers flying out, or boarding aircraft, for other destinations. It is a common metric used to measure airport performance.
 
Just last month, Avelo announced new nonstop service to Florida destinations Tampa and West Palm Beach, which also commences in June. Rapidly expanding service out of ILM makes it the largest non-base operator in Avelo’s network of 43 airports.
 
In the release, Avelo’s chairman and CEO Andrew Levy described the new route connecting North Carolina’s Wilmington with Delaware’s Wilmington as part of the airline’s commitment to the coastal North Carolina market.
 
“This new route to the Wilmington/Philadelphia area exemplifies our ongoing commitment to bringing Avelo’s low fares, industry-leading reliability and caring service to coastal North Carolina’s travelers. Getting to the four-state Delaware Valley region is now easier than ever,” Levy said.
 
Avelo first tapped the local market in June with nonstop service to New Haven, Connecticut, and Orlando plus seasonal nonstop service to Baltimore. Included in Thursday’s announcement was the airline’s decision to increase flights to Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) to four times per week, with service operating on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.