Avelo’s first revenue-generating flight took place five years ago. Despite this, the airline’s development has been limited, as it addresses many challenges. In 2025, the US Department of Transportation shows it carried 2.6 million passengers, which was only 342,000 more than in 2023—up by just 15%.

It is often not fair to compare airlines to any meaningful degree, as they are rarely like-for-like comparisons. Nonetheless, Breeze—which also began flying five years ago—welcomed 6.2 million passengers in 2025. While Avelo only added 15% more passengers in three years, Breeze grew by 121%. Although growth should be accompanied by strong financial results, the significant difference is informative in itself.

Avelo’s Ten Worst Routes For Load Factor

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For all of 2025, the DOT indicates that Breeze’s average seat load factor across its entire scheduled network was 75.8%. In contrast, when all airlines are included, it was 81.8% for the whole US market. While Avelo’s result was up marginally compared to 2024, it fell by four-and-a-half percentage points from what was achieved in 2023.

Of course, load factors should not be considered in isolation, and it’s important to remember that it is always about how they were achieved. Who knows? The lower load in 2025 might have been because of less unprofitable flying. Nonetheless, 75.8% was, in itself, relatively low, especially compared to international budget carriers. It was influenced by higher-capacity Boeing 737s.

This is the latest analysis of US carriers’ routes with the lowest loads. Other articles have explored results for Breeze (as low as 25%), United (as low as 28%), and Delta (as low as 29%). Recently, long-haul markets have been examined too, including for Delta (as low as 54%).

Hang On: Tweed New Haven To Portland?!

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Cirium Diio data shows that this very short route only covered 183 nautical miles (339 km) each way on a great circle basis. Subject to the exact origin and destination, and traffic congestion, it’d perhaps only take four hours or so to drive. On this basis, it was a highly unusual addition. That’s why no other airline has served it, at least not in the past 35 years.

Avelo operated twice-weekly using the 149-seat 737-700, which is, of course, its lowest-capacity equipment, at least until its Embraer E195-E2s arrive. Flights existed between May 21 and August 31, with just 30 round-trip services.

The budget airline had 8,940 round-trip seats for sale. But with only 2,368 passengers, it only filled 26.5% of seats—obviously extraordinarily poor. In June, for example, only 19.1% (!) of seats were filled. In other words, only around 28 out of 149 seats had passengers. And it’s quite likely that the fares were poor too.

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Avelo Has Ended All International Routes

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After various international charter routes, the carrier’s inaugural international scheduled route took place in November 2024, between Hartford and Montego Bay. Flights between Hartford and Cancun followed quickly, with service to Punta Cana in early 2025. None of these routes exist now.

Avelo started flying internationally from Raleigh/Durham in February 2025 to Montego Bay and Punta Cana. Both of these routes have ended, although only the service to the Jamaican capital, which was massively affected by Hurricane Melissa, had a poor enough load to feature in the table. Raleigh/Durham is no longer a base.

In December 2025, Avelo began non-US flights from Wilmington (North Carolina) to Punta Cana, but that ended the following month. It was Wilmington’s first and only scheduled international service. It coincided with the closure of its Wilmington base.