This inaugural service is part of the airline’s strategic expansion from BDL, a key market where it competes with rival Breeze Airways.
The new route will operate twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, using Avelo’s Boeing 737 fleet.
In addition to appealing to leisure travelers, Avelo is targeting the Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) market, leveraging Connecticut’s status as home to the fifth-largest Jamaican ancestry population in the United States.
Census data reveals that over 56,000 residents in the state have Jamaican roots.
“This is a significant milestone for Avelo,” said Andrew Levy, Avelo’s founder and CEO.
“With a large Jamaican community residing in Connecticut, we are looking forward to making it easier for them to connect with family and friends.”
Shane Munroe, CEO of MBJ Airports, added, “We are confident this service will not only boost tourism to Jamaica but also foster cultural exchange and business opportunities between the two regions.”
BDL Expansion and Growing Competition
The launch of the Montego Bay route follows Avelo’s establishment of a two-aircraft base at BDL on November 7, 2024. The base supports five new domestic routes to Concord and Wilmington (North Carolina), Daytona Beach and Lakeland (Florida), and Houston Hobby—all operating twice weekly.
A second international route to Cancun, Mexico, is set to begin on November 20. These expansions are part of Avelo’s efforts to strengthen its presence in Connecticut while competing with Breeze Airways, which ranks BDL as its fifth-largest airport by capacity.
Avelo’s base at Bradley adds to its existing stronghold at Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), located 56 miles from BDL.
However, competition is intensifying as Breeze plans to launch 10 new routes from HVN on December 10.
These include nonstop flights to Florida destinations such as Fort Myers, Orlando, Vero Beach, and West Palm Beach, alongside other cities like Charleston, Norfolk, and Raleigh-Durham.
Breeze’s expansion directly challenges Avelo, as both airlines will compete head-to-head on six of the 10 routes.
Additional Developments
Meanwhile, BermudAir has announced a new route connecting Bermuda to BDL starting April 3, 2025. The service will operate twice weekly with Embraer 175 aircraft.
Additional BermudAir routes include twice-weekly flights to Raleigh-Durham starting April 11 and a weekly Charleston service launching on April 19.
Avelo’s Montego Bay route highlights its commitment to expanding both domestic and international services, while ongoing competition from Breeze and new entrants like BermudAir ensures that Connecticut travelers will have an increasing array of flight options in the coming years.
Tags: Shane Munroe, MBJ Airports, Montego Bay, BermudAir Charleston, Andrew Levy, Avelo Airlines, Jamaica
