Avelo Shuts Down Burbank Base, Cuts Multiple West Coast Routes
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Avelo Airlines is taking a significant step away from its West Coast origins, announcing it will close its base at Burbank (BUR)—the very airport that saw the airline’s first flight in April 2021—as it continues to shift strategic focus toward the East Coast.
From First Flight to Final Departure
In a statement issued Monday, Avelo CEO Andrew Levy confirmed that the airline’s base at Hollywood Burbank Airport will officially close by December 2, 2025. The move comes more than four years after the airline’s inaugural BUR–Santa Rosa flight marked its entry into the market.
“This was not an easy decision,” Levy said. “Our company’s deepest operational roots are in BUR, having launched our first flight there over four years ago during the COVID pandemic.”
Levy cited diminishing financial returns and an increasingly competitive West Coast market as key reasons for the closure. In the interim, Avelo will reduce Burbank operations to just one aircraft beginning August 12.
“We intend to redeploy these BUR aircraft to business areas where we see more efficient longer-term growth prospects, while also building depth and breadth to our East Coast operation,” Levy added.
The airline also confirmed that employees at the Burbank base will be offered transfer opportunities to other Avelo stations across the country.
Route Reductions and Station Exits
In addition to closing the Burbank base, Avelo will also exit three West Coast stations and eliminate at least seven routes, according to aviation source Ishrion Aviation. The following routes will end service in mid-August:
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Salem (SLE) – Burbank (BUR)
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Salem (SLE) – Las Vegas (LAS)
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Santa Rosa (STS) – Las Vegas (LAS)
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Santa Rosa (STS) – Burbank (BUR)
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Santa Rosa (STS) – Redmond (RDM)
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Santa Rosa (STS) – Kalispell (FCA)
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Las Vegas (LAS) – Redmond (RDM)
As a result, Avelo will no longer provide regular service to Salem, Santa Rosa, or Las Vegas—a significant retreat from markets the airline once touted as essential to its launch strategy.
Strategic Refocus on the East
Avelo’s decision reflects a broader pivot to strengthen operations east of the Mississippi, where the airline has been steadily expanding its presence from bases like New Haven (HVN) in Connecticut, Wilmington (ILG) in Delaware, and Raleigh-Durham (RDU) in North Carolina.
Though the airline was founded with West Coast leisure markets in mind, this shift marks a stark contrast from its original map. It also highlights the economic pressure on ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs) operating in crowded regional markets, particularly in the western U.S.
Bottom Line
Avelo Airlines is closing its Burbank base by December 2, 2025, and will eliminate service in three West Coast cities and at least seven routes this August. The move is part of a growing strategy to concentrate operations on the East Coast, where Avelo sees more sustainable growth potential. The airline’s retrenchment from some of its earliest destinations signals a pragmatic—if symbolic—shift away from its origins as it navigates the realities of post-pandemic aviation economics.
