Avelo offering flights between Dubuque and Orlando

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - Wednesday, Avelo commercial flights started taking off between Dubuque and Orlando, Florida.

The flights will happen twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday with round trip prices around $100.

“This is our first family time as a family,” said Adam Fritz.

Adam and his family are from Fennimore, Wisconsin, about 40 minutes from the Dubuque Regional Airport. For him, this new commercial flight was about convenience.

“It is much easier to bring kids,” said Shawna Ellis.

The flights were scheduled to start in January, but because of some issues getting paperwork approved, the flights were relocated to Cedar Rapids.

“We were very disappointing for our customers that we had to make those delays,” said Dubuque Regional Airport Director Todd Dalsing. “We were able to offer to reimburse parking, and Avelo was able to give $100 vouchers, and then of course, we’re also providing transportation for folks to get back to their vehicles.”

Dalsing said bringing this flight would fill a void in the area. He said data showed 27,000 people from the area fly to Orlando annually.

“That was 27,000 people that were going to other airports to fly to Orlando,” he said.

Dalsing believes this service would mean potential expansion in the future, whether that was new airlines coming in or expanding more flights with Avelo.

“Legacy and regional carriers are watching this, so if this is successful, this could potentially turn into a daily schedule service to a hub,” he said.

That could give more families like Adam and Shawna’s more options to head to Florida or elsewhere.

“It’s really about the convenience of being so close to home,” said Adam.

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