Budget airline CEO bets big on Concord as Charlotte region’s ‘easier airport’
The Avelo Airlines ticket counter at Concord’s airport was bustling on a recent Wednesday morning with a long line of travelers carrying bags bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico.
That pleased a certain first-time visitor: Avelo CEO and founder Andrew Levy. He was visiting the Charlotte suburb for a meeting with employees.
Levy sat in the lobby and watched passengers move efficiently through security at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport. The “easiness” of the small airport — a sharp contrast to the sprawling Charlotte Douglas International Airport — was a primary reason the company chose to expand here.
“You come to an airport like this (in Concord), and you park right outside, you walk in, there’s the gate and the airplane’s right there,” Levy said. “You can’t beat that.”
Since arriving in Cabarrus County in May 2024, the Houston-based carrier has served more than 230,000 customers on over 2,000 flights.
After carrying approximately 105,000 passengers through Concord last year, Levy projects that figure will nearly double to 200,000 this year. He expressed confidence in the region, calling the Charlotte area a “boom town.”
“It’s an easy place to do business, and people really want to live here,” he said. “It’s been a very easy place to recruit for all disciplines. We have pilots, flight attendants, airport operations personnel and aircraft technicians who all work and live here.”
Avelo expands footprint in Charlotte region
While Levy had never visited the airport before now, he already was familiar with the facility. Levy served as president of Allegiant Air when that carrier first arrived in Concord.
“I’ve been involved with this airport for 12 years, but I had never once set foot here,” he said. “I really wanted to come and finally see this place. It’s terrific.”
Following a recapitalization and restructuring plan announced in January, Avelo solidified its long-term commitment to the Charlotte region.
While the airline closed bases at Wilmington and Raleigh-Durham to optimize its fleet, it shifted those resources toward the Concord expansion.
This growth includes basing two planes locally as of December 2024, a move expected to create roughly 90 jobs — including 20 pilots, 30 flight attendants and up to 30 ground workers.
To accommodate rising demand, Avelo is upgrading its fleet capacity. Within the next few months, the airline will replace its 149-seat Boeing 737-700s with larger 189-seat 737-800 models. To support increased spring and summer travel, the local fleet will expand to three aircraft.
Avelo looks to the future in NC
While Levy aims to add more routes from Concord, he noted that additional aircraft must come first. The airline has placed an order for new Embraer planes, which are expected to arrive by 2028.
“Between now and then, I’m confident that we’ll be able to add more airplanes to the mix,” Levy said.
However, the airport’s physical size remains a factor.
As a single-runway facility that opened in 1994 and was renamed in 2018 to honor former Mayor Scott Padgett, the airport currently hosts Avelo, Allegiant Air and Sun Country Airlines.
“It’s a small airport,” Levy said. “There’s a limit on how big it can get without investments the city would have to make to expand the footprint.”
While the Concord facility is cost-effective for both the airline and travelers, Levy anticipates that parking and baggage claim areas may need expansion if traffic continues to grow. Still, he views the airport as a vital alternative to the congestion at Charlotte Douglas, one of the world’s busiest airports.
“This will never be CLT, not even close,” Levy said. “But this can be a nice alternative for anyone who lives in the area. Once you get here, it’s a piece of cake.
“It’s a lot easier than going to CLT.”
Avelo works to enhance passenger experience
For frequent travelers, Levy emphasized that the success of current routes — such as those to Albany, New York, Lakeland/Orlando and New Haven, Connecticut— is what allows for expansion. While Charlotte benefits from being an American Airlines hub, that status often results in higher fares where competition is low, Levy said.
“When we add new routes, we’ll be looking for where we can offer a particularly good value proposition,” Levy said. Future additions would likely be “short hauls” of two to three hours to destinations in Florida, Texas or the Midwest.
In the meantime, Avelo is focusing on service upgrades.
By this summer, the airline plans to offer light snacks and beverages onboard, along with options for customers seeking extra legroom. This follows the recent launch of a rewards credit card and a subscription club offering discounted fares.
“It’s a big economic driver,” Levy said of the Concord airport’s impact.
“We’re bringing in people who either weren’t traveling before because it was too costly, or are traveling more often because it’s so convenient. It’s a ripple effect for the nearby businesses — people getting gas or a bite to eat.
“Travel and tourism is a massive driver of growth, and we like adding to that here.”
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 5:05 AM.
