Avelo Airlines To Withdraw From Connecticut In January 2026, Ending Flights To Cancun, Punta Cana, And More In The Caribbean: All You Need To Know

Published on October 26, 2025

Avelo Airlines has announced plans to end each operations astatine Bradley International Airport (BDL) starting January 2026, marking nan extremity of its work to 3 awesome sun destinations, Cancun, Mexico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The determination intends that Connecticut residents will suffer their only direct aerial links to Jamaica and nan Dominican Republic, importantly impacting some tourism and outbound leisure travel.​

The carrier’s last flights will return spot arsenic follows:

• Cancun (CUN): January 3, 2026
• Punta Cana (PUJ): January 5, 2026
• Montego Bay (MBJ): January 25, 2026

Once these routes are discontinued, Avelo will cease each operations astatine Bradley Airport, closing its little tenure successful Connecticut’s second-largest airport.

Avelo Cites Revenue Challenges Behind Exit

According to nan airline’s charismatic statement, nan determination was guided by financial performancerather than rider demand. Avelo noted that the three routes did not make capable revenue to warrant ongoing operations, contempt nan destinations’ popularity. The withdrawal, described by nan hose arsenic a “business-based decision,” follows months of network restructuring, including route reductions across nan US arsenic nan bearer focuses connected sustainable profitability.​

Avelo’s Communications Manager said nan bearer is realigning its network to amended wide efficiency, citing rising operational costs and lower-than-expected load factors. All affected passengers will receive full refunds, and nan hose assured continued work to Connecticut residents done Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), wherever Avelo serves complete twenty-five US destinations crossed nan East Coast, Midwest, and nan Caribbean.​

Connecticut Airport Authority Responds

The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA), which oversees Bradley International Airport, expressed surprise and disappointment over Avelo’s decision. Official statements from nan CAA propose that nan airline’s exit was unexpected given beardown rider numbers and financial incentives provided to nan bearer during its first twelvemonth of operations.

CAA officials described Avelo’s termination of service, peculiarly to Montego Bay, as “inexplicable”, noting that demand and load factors were comparatively strong throughout 2025. The Authority confirmed that Avelo had previously operated rent-free at Bradley for 1 twelvemonth nether an airport inducement program designed to stimulate world connectivity.​

Additionally, section media reports bespeak that Avelo had requested to forgo remaining rent obligations until its last departure successful January 2026, a petition denied by nan CAA. “After important finance to support Avelo’s way success, nan Authority cannot relieve nan hose of financial commitments it antecedently agreed to,” nan CAA reportedly stated.​

Routes Lost: Impact connected Tourism and Connectivity

The termination of these 3 seasonal routes is expected to impact leisure travel significantly betwixt Connecticut and cardinal Caribbean destinations.

• Montego Bay: The only direct formation from Connecticut to Jamaica, serving some visitors and nan section diaspora, will end, forcing travellers to link via New York, Boston, aliases Philadelphia.
• Punta Cana: A celebrated wintertime sun destination for New England leisure travellers will suffer non-stop entree during highest season.
• Cancun: Once a cornerstone of Avelo’s Latin America network, nan way offered 1 of Bradley’s fewer nonstop world formation connections.

According to the Connecticut Airport Authority, discussions are already underway with alternative carriers to reconstruct immoderate aliases each of these routes by mid‑2026. Several airlines person reportedly expressed liking successful operating seasonal aliases year-round services to capable nan marketplace gap, though circumstantial carriers person not yet been named.​

For travellers in Hartford‑Springfield, Avelo’s departure means fewer nonstop picnic options, which could displacement world leisure postulation to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and New York’s JFK and LaGuardia airports.

Avelo’s Broader Restructuring and East Coast Focus

The exit from Bradley International comes amid broader restructuring efforts across Avelo’s network. The Houston-based low-cost bearer has been gradually downsizing operations successful unprofitable markets, including its Burbank, California hub, which it will vacate in December 2025.​

To offset financial losses, Avelo recently placed an bid for up to 100 Embraer E195‑E2 aircraft, signaling a strategical displacement distant from a azygous exemplary fleet. These smaller, fuel-efficient jets let for right‑sizing routes and improved load factors while maintaining operational flexibility. The caller craft are expected to participate work successful 2026, helping nan airline reduce overhead and amended substance efficiency across its East Coast network.

Avelo continues to put heavy in Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), its superior guidelines successful nan region. From HVN, nan hose operates predominant flights to Florida, Puerto Rico, and nan Carolinas, successful summation to new seasonal services to Chicago, Nashville, and Savannah.​

Industry Context and Regional Travel Implications

Bradley International Airport (BDL), located in Windsor Locks, serves the Hartford–Springfield metropolitan area and is recognized as Connecticut’s largest commercialized airport. It handled approximately 6.7 cardinal passengers successful 2024, according to nan CAA’s yearly report.​

The nonaccomplishment of Avelo’s Caribbean routes will trim BDL’s international formation portfolio, leaving Aer Lingus (to Dublin) and Breeze Airways (to Las Vegas and cardinal US destinations) arsenic superior description carriers. However, airdrome officials stay optimistic that partnerships and early bids could attract caller Caribbean and Latin American providers.

The New England tourism sector may besides spot a ripple effect, arsenic nan removed routes antecedently supported connectivity for vacation packages from Connecticut to Caribbean resorts. Tour operators specializing in all-inclusive picnic packages to Jamaica and nan Dominican Republic could look an first setback, though galore manufacture analysts expect replacement work announcements up of nan adjacent wintertime recreation season.

Final Flights and Passenger Support

Avelo Airlines’ last operations from Bradley will tally done January 25, 2026. The hose has confirmed that all passengers booked connected affected flights beyond those dates will be contacted straight and refunded automatically, with full reimbursement processed wrong 5 to 7 business days.​

Customers wishing to proceed flying pinch Avelo are encouraged to rebook from Tweed-New Haven Airport, wherever nan hose plans to summation play frequencies to Florida and Puerto Rico from early 2026.

For Bradley-based travellers, however, Avelo’s exit marks nan extremity of direct low-cost leisure connectivity to immoderate of nan region’s astir visited tropical destinations.

Looking Ahead: Connecticut Eyes Route Revival

While nan carrier’s exit represents a nonaccomplishment for Connecticut’s world aerial market, the Connecticut Airport Authority remains proactive. Officials person emphasized continued negotiations pinch carriers to capable nan spread near by Avelo and reaffirmed semipermanent plans to grow Bradley’s way network, emphasizing Caribbean and Latin American links in its early priorities.

As Connecticut looks to support its position arsenic a convenient world gateway for New England travellers, nan state’s aviation and tourism officials stay focused on rebuilding seasonal connectivity, ensuring residents tin erstwhile again scope sunshine destinations like Cancun, Punta Cana, and Montego Bay without layovers successful nan adjacent future.

Image Credit: Avelo Airlines Inc.