Avelo Airlines announces new routes from RDU to Florida, will open base in February

Avelo Airlines announced on Thursday it will open a base at Raleigh Durham International Airport.

Avelo said it would expand its service with non-stop flights from RDU into Florida markets Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Sarasota and Fort Myers.

Avelo President and CEO Andrew Levy expressed excitement about the Triangle's growth and his company's plans to expand. The RDU base is scheduled to open in February and create about 50 jobs.

"This is a community that's growing, there's a lot of people here," Levy said. "We want to be a part of this growth wave here."

Avelo also operates bases at airports in Los Angeles, New Haven, CT, Orlando and at Southwest Florida International Airport.

The announcement means one of their planes will be housed here. Avelo first started flying out of RDU in May.