Recently, we had a wedding in Bend, Oregon, but surprisingly, there aren't that many direct flights. No Southwest, and legacy carriers are super expensive because of the lack of said options.
You could drive, but we did that last year and it's a long drive. Plus, time was tight so I couldn't take the extra day on each end to get up there and back home.
That led us to Avelo. This is a startup airline that specializes in smaller cities and smaller airports. Basically leisure destinations in underserved places like Bend.
There is a direct Avelo flight from Burbank to Bend. Both are small, manageable airports.
The base ticket prices are appealing. We paid $64 for one way, the return flight was pricier at $197.
But then the add-on fees start. If you want an assigned seat at all, it will cost you. I skipped assigned seats on the way out and decided to take my chances. We have a family of four, and I figured they would put a parent with each kid, and I might be in a window seat.
Since the flight on the way back was already crowded (it was a Sunday morning), I paid for assigned seats, which cost about $27 a seat.
Then, there is the baggage. As far as I could tell, this pricing might be dynamic. I had to go through the flow of picking a flight and entering my information just to get a quote.
This was an extra $42 each way or $84 roundtrip per bag. We decided we could check three bags for the four of us.
A personal carry-on is free, but overhead bin space is not. And they check.
The total ticket price, including all the fees and add-ons, was about $400 for each of us, for a grand total of $1600 for the four of us traveling.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised at this nickel-and-diming and the ultimate high cost for an airline that advertises as such a low-cost carrier.
However, the nice thing is that if you're willing to travel with a small backpack in a middle seat you could go places on the cheap.
There was a moment when I considered canceling or changing our flights and I figured I would be out the total amount because of exorbitant change fees but it turns out Avelo doesn't have them, which is nice.
But beware, calling the 800 number and making any changes that way might incur a $25 live customer rep fee.
The online and airport check-in were smooth. Avelo operates a clean and easy website, and most of the employees I encountered were friendly, helpful, and smiling.
Check-in was fast and easy. Boarding was not as orderly as a major airline, with its queue-up lines and group numbers, but remember that many folks taking Avelo are leisure travelers, so they've got time and patience on their side. Plus, they might not be seasoned frequent fliers.
The plane itself is an older 737, showing its age. The seats are small and cramped, but I'm 6 feet tall and I did just fine. I spent about two hours each way in them.
There are no onboard entertainment systems, no seat-back screens, no Airfones (I'm just kidding), no WiFi, no power outlets and no USB ports.
Thankfully, most Avelos flights are quick hops, so people around me were happy to read or use their phones or tablets. Make sure your phone is charged and loaded up with downloaded songs, shows, movies and podcasts.
Also, there is no snack, drink, or food service—not even for sale. The one thing you might be able to score is a bottle of water, but only if you ask. Nothing is offered.
Flight attendants do come by with a bag to put your trash in.
The flights I was on had very smooth takeoffs and landings. About as good as you could want. We had a bit of turbulence on the flight from Bend to Burbank but only for a few minutes towards landing. Overall I was very impressed with our time in the sky.
Both flights were perfectly on time. However, our return flight was oversold, and they offered about $800 in travel credit to six volunteers. They made a point of mentioning we couldn't board until that was taken care of.
Once we landed, our checked luggage came out fast and we were on our way.
Overall, my experience with Avelo was mostly positive as long as you're prepared for all of the fees you're bombarded with. I don't fault Avelo for this.
Budget-minded leisure travelers get affordable, direct flights to places that might otherwise require a connection. Anyone who is used to a more robust travel experience with assigned, preferred seats and more can pay for the privilege.
It's a win-win.
One last pro tip: if you’re going to be traveling on Avelo, don’t pay full price. There is usually a promo code floating around. They don’t last very long, but they can save you $20 or more on your ticket. The best way to get them is to sign up for Avelo’s email list.
Good info! Thanks Rich! I entertained the idea of putting my (89 y/o) Mom to get to the Great Grandkids, but Avelo only has 1 location in CO. Good to know about all the extra fees though! I was considering them for my October trip to WA as I don't mind landing in Salem OR... I'll have luggage and think I'll stick with Alaska. Great heads up! Thank you Rich!