Avelo Airlines is withdrawing from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, cutting off a fast-growing set of leisure routes to Mexico, the Caribbean and Florida and leaving travelers with fewer options to reach some of the most popular winter sun destinations.

The carrier’s final flights from the state’s largest airport are scheduled in January 2026, and tickets on later dates have already disappeared from booking channels as the airline winds down operations.

More News

A swift reversal for a high-profile new entrant

The decision marks an abrupt about-face for Avelo, which only began flying from Bradley International in November 2024.

The ultra-low-cost carrier initially framed the airport as a key growth market, opening a base there and touting Hartford’s central New England location as a springboard to both domestic and international destinations.

Within months, Avelo had rolled out seven nonstop routes touching North Carolina, Texas, Florida and the Caribbean.

Airport and state officials heralded the expansion as a milestone in efforts to broaden nonstop options from Connecticut and to keep local travelers from driving to Boston or New York for cheaper fares and more direct flights.

But the ramp-up proved short-lived. By early 2025, Avelo had already begun trimming underperforming domestic routes from Bradley, signaling that demand and revenue were not matching expectations.

Less than a year after its high-profile debut, the airline has now confirmed it will leave the airport entirely.

Key vacation routes cut as January exit nears

Avelo’s departure will erase several nonstop links that had quickly become attractive to leisure travelers looking for direct flights to warm-weather escapes.

The airline operated three international routes from Bradley: Cancun in Mexico, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Montego Bay in Jamaica.

Those flights operated a few times a week, targeting peak demand periods for holidaymakers and destination weddings.

The draw for travelers was clear. Nonstop flights shave hours off typical routings that require a connection through a hub such as Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta or New York.

For Connecticut residents and others across New England, the ability to depart from Bradley and land directly in Caribbean and Mexican beach resorts significantly simplified winter travel planning.

According to schedules released by the Connecticut Airport Authority and the airline, the last Avelo departures from Bradley are slated for early to late January 2026.

Flights to Cancun and Punta Cana are scheduled to end during the first week of January, while the final Bradley departure to Montego Bay is set for later in the month.

Flights that had originally been offered beyond those dates are no longer available for purchase online as the exit plan moves forward.

Connecticut Airport Authority voices sharp frustration

The Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Bradley International, has publicly criticized Avelo’s decision and its explanation for leaving.

In statements to local media, officials described the move as disappointing and said the airline’s comments about the financial performance of its Bradley operation paint an incomplete picture of the support it received.

Airport leaders have argued that the Caribbean routes, in particular, were performing well, citing strong passenger loads and incentives that had been put in place to help the new service succeed.

They contend that Avelo benefited from rent relief and marketing support designed to reduce start-up risk, and that the carrier’s rapid about-face comes despite those concessions.

The authority has also raised concerns about what it characterizes as a pattern of the airline seeking to minimize or avoid certain airport fees after initial incentive periods expired.

Officials say they cannot make additional exceptions without undermining the standardized fee structure that applies to other carriers at Bradley, including long-standing partners that serve the airport year-round.

Avelo cites unsustainable revenue and refocus on other bases

Avelo, for its part, has framed the Bradley withdrawal as a difficult but necessary business choice.

In prepared remarks shared with news outlets, the company says that while it recognizes the inconvenience to customers and the disappointment among local officials, the Hartford-area operation simply did not generate enough revenue to cover its costs.

The airline notes that its model depends on maintaining consistently strong demand and high aircraft utilization, particularly on leisure-focused routes where fares are marketed as ultra-low.

When routes fall short of financial targets for an extended period, Avelo argues that it must reallocate planes and crews to markets where performance is stronger.

Executives have also stressed that the airline remains committed to Connecticut through its existing base at Tweed-New Haven Airport. That operation, launched earlier in Avelo’s expansion, serves a different catchment area along the shoreline and has become a cornerstone of the carrier’s East Coast network.

By concentrating resources there rather than splitting them between multiple Connecticut airports, Avelo says it can offer more stable schedules and a broader range of destinations.

Travelers lose nonstop choices to Mexico and the Caribbean

For passengers, the most immediate effect will be the loss of nonstop options from Bradley to some of the region’s most popular resort destinations.

The exit eliminates direct links to Cancun, Punta Cana and Montego Bay, all of which are heavily favored by New England travelers seeking beach vacations during the colder months.

Without Avelo, most travelers heading from Hartford to those destinations will now need to connect through larger hubs served by legacy carriers and other low-cost airlines.

That typically means longer total travel times, potential layovers and, in many cases, higher fares, especially during peak periods like school vacations and holiday weeks.

Families and groups who had selected Avelo specifically to avoid connections may feel the change most acutely. Some had planned early-morning or weekend departures to line up with resort check-in times, making use of the airline’s limited but well-timed schedule.

Rebooking through other carriers may require shifting dates or accepting less convenient itineraries.

Local business owners who cater to travelers, including travel agencies and destination wedding planners, are also likely to feel the ripple effects.

Many had started promoting the convenience of nonstop flights from Bradley as a selling point for clients weighing whether to plan vacations from Hartford, Boston or New York.

Second airline loss in a challenging stretch for Bradley

Avelo’s exit follows another high-profile loss for Bradley International: the departure of budget carrier Spirit Airlines in late 2025.

Spirit, which had maintained a modest presence at the airport, pulled its flights as part of a broader network reshaping, citing cost and performance factors of its own.

The back-to-back withdrawals underscore the competitive pressures facing mid-sized, regional airports that are trying to maintain and grow low-cost airline service.

Carriers that operate on thin margins are especially sensitive to fluctuations in demand, fuel prices, airport fees and competitive dynamics with neighboring airports in Boston, Providence and the New York area.

For the Connecticut Airport Authority, the challenge now is to convince other airlines that Bradley remains an attractive gateway for leisure and business travelers alike.

Officials have previously highlighted the airport’s relative ease of use compared with larger hubs, along with a strong regional economy and a catchment area that extends into western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.

Rebuilding lost capacity, however, can take time. Even when airlines are interested, launching or reinstating routes involves aircraft availability, crew scheduling and regulatory approvals, as well as marketing campaigns to ensure customers are aware of new options.

What affected passengers should know about refunds and rebooking

Customers who had booked Avelo flights from Bradley that fall after the final January 2026 departures should be contacted directly by the airline.

Company statements indicate that all affected travelers will receive full refunds to their original form of payment for canceled flights, with no change or cancellation fees applied in these cases.

Passengers are being advised to monitor their email and Avelo’s official channels for notifications and to review their itineraries carefully, even if their travel dates fall near but not beyond the published final flight schedule.

If in doubt, customers can log into their booking profiles or contact airline customer service to confirm whether their flights are operating as planned.

Travel experts recommend that those with canceled flights begin shopping for alternatives as soon as possible. As capacity shrinks on certain routes, remaining seats on competing airlines may rise in price, especially for peak winter and holiday periods when demand is strongest.

Flexibility with dates, departure times and even nearby airports, such as New York or Providence, can help travelers find acceptable alternatives.

Passengers who packaged Avelo tickets through third-party travel sites or vacation bundles should check with the booking provider to understand how refunds and rebooking will be handled.

In many cases, the airline refund will flow back through the original seller, which then manages the process of arranging replacement flights or adjusting the broader itinerary.

Broader implications for New England’s air travel map

Avelo’s move highlights the delicate balance between regional airports and low-cost carriers in New England. While Bradley has worked to attract and retain discount airlines to compete with Boston Logan and the major New York airports, those carriers must continuously decide where each aircraft can generate the strongest returns.

The lineup of destinations available nonstop from Bradley will likely continue to evolve as airlines reevaluate their networks.

While the loss of direct service to Cancun, Punta Cana and Montego Bay is significant, it may also open the door for other carriers to consider similar routes if they believe they can operate them more sustainably or tap into different segments of demand.

In the meantime, New England travelers will still find a patchwork of low-cost options across the region. Tweed-New Haven, Providence, Worcester, Manchester and secondary New York airports all serve various sun destinations, often at competitive prices.

For many travelers, however, those alternatives come with the tradeoff of longer drives or more complex logistics compared with departing from Bradley.

How quickly the gap left by Avelo is filled, and by whom, will be an important test of Bradley’s positioning in an increasingly crowded and cost-conscious aviation landscape.

FAQ

Q1. When is Avelo Airlines ending all service at Bradley International Airport?
Avelo is scheduled to operate its final flights from Bradley International Airport in January 2026, with the last departure from the airport expected to take place later in the month.

Q2. Which destinations were served nonstop by Avelo from Bradley?
From Bradley, Avelo operated nonstop flights to several leisure destinations, including Cancun in Mexico, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Montego Bay in Jamaica, along with a set of domestic routes that were cut earlier in 2025.

Q3. Why is Avelo leaving Bradley after such a short time?
The airline says the Bradley operation did not generate enough revenue to cover its costs. Avelo maintains that reallocating aircraft and crews to other bases where demand is stronger is necessary to support its overall growth and reliability.

Q4. How has the Connecticut Airport Authority responded to the decision?
The Connecticut Airport Authority has expressed disappointment and frustration, arguing that Avelo received significant incentives and support and that at least some of the routes, especially to the Caribbean, were performing well from a passenger demand perspective.

Q5. What happens if my Avelo flight from Bradley was scheduled after the airline’s exit date?
Customers with bookings on flights that Avelo intends to cancel should receive a full refund to their original form of payment. Travelers are encouraged to check their reservations and watch for direct communication from the airline.

Q6. Are there still nonstop flights from Bradley to Cancun, Punta Cana or Montego Bay?
Once Avelo ends service, Bradley International will lose its nonstop links to those destinations unless another airline steps in. Travelers will generally need to connect through larger hubs to reach these locations from Hartford.

Q7. Does Avelo plan to stop flying from Connecticut entirely?
No. While Avelo is leaving Bradley International, it has said it will continue operating from Tweed-New Haven Airport, where it maintains a separate base and offers a range of domestic leisure routes.

Q8. How does this affect fares and travel options for Connecticut vacationers?
With fewer nonstop choices from Bradley, travelers heading to Mexico and the Caribbean may face longer journeys and, in some cases, higher fares, particularly during peak travel periods when seats on remaining routes are in high demand.

Q9. Could another airline replace Avelo’s routes from Bradley?
Airport officials say they are actively working to attract new or expanded service from other carriers. Whether and when another airline launches similar nonstop routes will depend on aircraft availability, demand forecasts and broader network strategies.

Q10. What should travelers do now if they were counting on Avelo from Bradley for an upcoming trip?
Travelers should verify the status of their bookings, secure any refunds owed and begin searching for alternative flights as soon as possible, considering flexible dates, nearby airports and connecting itineraries to reach their intended destinations.