City News Blog: Avelo Airlines Announces Two New Routes from Lakeland: Grand Rapids, Mich. and Long Island, N.Y. Affordable one-way fares from LAL start at $69 Avelo now serves nine destinations from LAL
LAKELAND, Fla.; March 11, 2025 — Avelo Airlines announced today it will expand service at Central Florida’s Lakeland International Airport (LAL) with nonstop routes to Grand Rapids, Michigan and Long Island, New York. Avelo is the only airline offering nonstop service between Central Florida these two destinations. Affordable one-way fares start at $69*.
Beginning in June, Avelo will operate these routes twice weekly, utilizing Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. Travelers can make reservations at AveloAir.com.
Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy said, “Avelo’s service at Lakeland offers Floridians easy access to air travel, especially for Customers who value the convenience of a small airport. With two new destinations joining our seven existing nonstop routes, Customers flying at Lakeland can expect more time and freedom to explore Florida in any direction they choose.”
Grand Rapids, Mich. via Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)
- Begins June 13, 2025, with twice weekly service on Fridays and Mondays
New York / Long Island, N.Y. via Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP)
- Begins June 12, 2025, with twice weekly service on Thursdays and Sundays
Lakeland City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said, “We are excited to see Avelo Airlines continue to grow at Lakeland Linder International Airport with the addition of nonstop flights to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and New York's Long Island Islip. These new routes not only enhance connectivity for our residents but also bring new opportunities for tourism and business, further strengthening Lakeland's position as a thriving hub for travel in Central Florida."
Lakeland International Airport Director Kris Hallstrand said, “With the addition of Grand Rapids, MI (GRR) and Long Island, NY (ISP), Lakeland International Airport is looking forward to the possibilities this opens to our home or visiting communities, whether that be a new vacation spot or a connection to loved ones. Now serving nine nonstop destinations to explore. Welcome to Lakeland!”
Visit Central Florida Director Mark Jackson said, “We look forward to welcoming folks from both New York and Michigan to Central Florida’s Polk County, This area has a long history with both markets, and we’ve been Michigan’s hub for Spring Training for nearly 90s years. Of course, we’ve grown into much more than that – we’re a year-round vacation destination all our own, right here where the real Florida magic happens.”
Growing Avelo in Central Florida
Conveniently located between Tampa and Orlando, LAL offers travelers a refreshingly small, easy, and fast alternative airport experience to the much larger and busier airports in the region. LAL’s location along the I-4 corridor makes it the most travel-friendly gateway to and from Central Florida.
Avelo established operations at LAL as part of its regional Central Florida base in October 2024. The airline initially positioned one Boeing Next-Generation 737 at LAL, with plans to grow in the future. To support its base extension, the airline continues to create more jobs in Central Florida aviation for individuals at all stages of their career including pilots, flight attendants, ground services, Customer support and more.
Avelo serves nine nonstop destinations from LAL: Boston / Manchester, N.H. (MHT); Charlotte / Concord, N.C. (USA); Grand Rapids, Mich. (GRR); Nashville, Tenn. (BNA); New Haven, Conn. (HVN); New York / Long Island, N.Y. (ISP); Philadelphia / Delaware Valley (ILG); Rochester, N.Y. (ROC); and San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU).
America’s Most Reliable and Convenient Airline
Since taking flight on April 28, 2021, Avelo has flown more than 6.3 million Customers on over 50,000 flights. Today Avelo serves 56 cities spanning 23 states and Puerto Rico, as well as four international destinations: Bahamas, Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Avelo has unlocked a new era of convenience, choice, and competition by flying unserved routes to primarily underserved communities across the country. Most Avelo routes have at least one small, easy to use airport. This makes traveling with Avelo a smoother, easier and more enjoyable experience than contending with the crowds, congestion and long walks at larger airports.
Avelo is distinguished by its industry-leading reliability. In 2024, Avelo ranked #1 in on-time performance and achieved the lowest flight cancellation rate in the U.S. airline industry. These results are provided by Anuvu, a leading aviation data services company also utilized by The Wall Street Journal for the publication’s annual airline ranking. Anuvu’s complete industry results and rankings are available at AveloAir.com.
Avelo also delivers world-class customer satisfaction, exemplified by our Net Promoter Scores (NPS), which consistently rank among the best airlines and most admired brands in the world.
Avelo offers an abundance of advanced seating options. One third of its aircraft seats (Avelo Premium and Premium Economy) offer extra leg room — ranging from 32 inches to more than 36 inches of pitch. These seats offer a more comfortable experience for Customers who value more space. Customers can also purchase window and aisle seats in advance of their flight. In addition to advance seat assignments, Avelo offers several unbundled travel-enhancing options that give Customers the flexibility to pay only for what they value, including priority boarding, checked bags, carry-on overhead bags, and bringing a pet in the cabin.
Additionally, families can travel with ease knowing every child 14 and under will be automatically seated with an accompanying adult at no additional cost.
About Avelo Airlines
Avelo Airlines’ purpose is to Inspire Travel by saving travelers time and money. The airline offers travelers time and money-saving convenience, everyday low fares, and a refreshingly smooth, caring and reliable travel experience. Operating a fleet of 20 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, Avelo serves 56 popular destinations across the United States, Jamaica, Mexico, Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, including its seven bases at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Southern Connecticut’s Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), the Philadelphia / Delaware Valley region’s Wilmington Airport (ILG), Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), the Bay Area’s Sonoma County Airport (STS), Central Florida’s Lakeland International Airport (LAL) and Charlotte’s Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (USA). Avelo will open its eighth base at Coastal North Carolina’s Wilmington International Airport (ILM) in April 2025. For more information visit AveloAir.com or the Avelo Newsroom at AveloAir.com/Newsroom.
Media Contacts:
Avelo Airlines
Courtney Goff
CGoff@aveloair.com