Starting at the end of May, Mobile will have a new direct air connection to Orlando courtesy of Avelo Airlines.

The connection from Mobile International Airport at the Brookley Aeroplex to Orlando International Airport is a big development for the existing commercial passenger terminal at Brookley. The terminal, built to cater to low-fare airlines, hasn’t offered regular commercial service since mid-2020, when Frontier Airlines shut down a route to Orlando.

“Today’s announcement by Avelo Airlines is a huge step for Mobile International Airport,” said Mayor Sandy Stimpson. “Not only are we flying from downtown again, but the affordable nonstop flight option to Orlando International will enhance the quality of life for our citizens.”

Jim Olson, head of communications for Avelo, said that after an inaugural Wednesday flight on May 31, Avelo will fly a Boeing 737 from Orlando to Mobile and back on Thursdays and Sundays. Introductory fares start at $29; the introductory rate must be booked by March 17 on flights taking place before Sept. 6. Additional fees “for carry-on and checked bags, assigned seats and other optional services” may apply. Flights can be booked at www.aveloair.com.

Avelo, founded a little less than two years ago, now serves 36 markets in 22 states. Olson said the airline seeks to “inspire travel” by emphasizing low everyday fares on nonstop flights. “We love small, fast, easy airports” like the one at Brookley, he said.

Olson said that Avelo does connect Orlando to other markets, but that it doesn’t encourage patrons to book connecting flights. It emphasizes nonstop point-to-point travel, he said. “One of our core values is simplicity,” he said. Houston-based Avelo has five “bases,” he said, but “we don’t have hubs.”

“We’re growing very fast,” said Olson. “We started less than two years ago with one base in Burbank and now we have five bases across the country. When we start taking flight this will be our 36th market or destination. We started with three airplanes, three 737s, and now we’re at 14 with two more coming. … At the end of the day there are lots of other airlines out there with lots of bells and whistles, but our customer, research shows us that what customers really want is a great fare and high reliability.”

Putting the emphasis on direct flights dramatically cuts down on the chance that bags will be lost or that a missed connection will cause delays, he said.

Mobile is engaged in a major project to switch commercial passenger service from Mobile Regional Airport in west Mobile to a new Mobile International Airport at the Brookley Aeroplex. The new location offers a close connection to Interstate 10, proximity to downtown and much easier access for potential patrons in Baldwin County.

As part of the process of proving the swap was feasible, the Mobile Airport Authority opened a small passenger terminal at Brookley in 2019, one tailored to the needs of low-fare carriers. Frontier provided the initial connections, but the airline withdrew in 2020 as air travel shriveled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the terminal has seen sporadic business: Some charter flights, and some shuttle flights ferrying Airbus workers between operations in Mobile and Canada.

A groundbreaking was held in December for the full-scale new international terminal expected to open in 2025. Local officials are hopeful that Avelo’s Orlando service is the first of many positive developments between now and then.

“We couldn’t be more excited about it. We know it’s going to work,” said Elliot Maisel, chair of the Mobile Airport Authority Board. “We want Mobile to inspire Avelo by responding.”

“Let’s support Avelo Airlines by putting cheeks in seats,” said MAA President Chris Curry.

Curry said he thinks that if response is good, Avelo could add flights to other markets that it serves.

“I think the prospects are very good,” Curry said. “I think if the community responds to the service in Orlando, I think there’s an opportunity for Mobile to expand with them as they continue to grow. There’s other places they serve that we are very interested in and that are highly requested by customers in our region. For example, Chicago, Baltimore, all those are places they have a significant presence. And even other locations in Florida. So the opportunity is certainly there, I think, to expand.”