Bases, pay, training, hiring windows and the interview process — from dated sources.
Last updated August 2026 — dated facts carry their own as-of dates below.
Avelo Airlines is a Houston-headquartered budget carrier launched in 2021 by Andrew Levy (ex-Allegiant, ex-United), flying Boeing 737s on small-airport convenience routes — New Haven instead of the NYC/Boston metros, Lakeland instead of Tampa/Orlando, Concord instead of Charlotte. Its brand language is "Smoothness."
The defining fact of Avelo right now is restructuring. In July 2025 it announced its West Coast exit (Burbank base closed by December 2025), and a January 2026 recapitalization-driven "network simplification" closed three more bases (Mesa AZA, Raleigh-Durham RDU, Wilmington NC ILM), cut roughly 50 routes, shed six 737-700s, reduced headcount — and ended its ICE deportation-charter flying. What emerged is a leaner East Coast + Texas network.
Hiring-window status (as of mid-2026): OPEN but volatile. Avelo was simultaneously shrinking and hiring: active FA postings were observed in 2026 at Lakeland FL and other cities, and a dedicated hiring push for the new Dallas/McKinney TX base ran from May 2026 — including an explicit public invitation to displaced Spirit Airlines crewmembers and an in-person McKinney Hiring Day on May 9, 2026. Hold both truths at once: "Avelo is hiring" and "Avelo just cut jobs" are both accurate, and some 2026 openings reflect internal redeployment of Avelo's own displaced crews, not pure growth.
Baseline requirements per aggregated 2026 posting language (verify verbatim on the live posting — Avelo's Paylocity requisitions expire fast): at least 21, high-school diploma or GED, legal right to work in the U.S., valid passport. "No experience is necessary" — Avelo postings state comprehensive paid training is provided, the lowest experience bar among the small carriers we cover. The postings are also unusually candid about the schedule: rotating schedule, variable hours, "up to 16-hour duty days," nights, overnights, weekends, holidays, multiple days away from home. Take that at face value — Avelo tells you the hard part up front.
Post-restructure crew bases per Avelo's January 2026 announcement (checked August 2026): New Haven CT (HVN — the flagship), Philadelphia/Delaware Valley (Wilmington DE, ILG), Charlotte/Concord NC (USA), and Central Florida/Lakeland (LAL), plus Dallas/McKinney TX opening late 2026 (fifth crew base; service begins November 11, 2026 — a launch announcement, not yet an operating base, so treat it accordingly).
Closed in 2025–2026: Burbank BUR (and all West Coast flying), Mesa AZA, Raleigh-Durham RDU, and Wilmington NC ILM. One trap that catches even careful researchers: there are two Wilmingtons in this story — Wilmington, North Carolina (ILM) closed; Wilmington, Delaware (ILG) is active. Different states, opposite fates.
With only five bases, base assignment is not a detail — it effectively is the job decision. And the recent history carries a candid, sourced caution: four base closures inside roughly six months show that displacement risk is real at Avelo. Factor that into any relocation decision.
There is no official Avelo FA pay rate published anywhere, and Avelo is pre-contract, so nothing below is protected or guaranteed.
Union status — the most legally in-motion situation of any carrier we cover. AFA-CWA won an NMB election in April 2022, but the electorate was unusually narrow: only 14 of 77 FAs were deemed eligible and voted, with 8 yes — a fact decertification advocates publicize heavily. A decertification effort surfaced in January 2024. As of March 2025, AFA and Avelo had tentative agreements on only 9 of 26 contract sections, with compensation, scheduling, and benefits all unresolved. There is no first contract as of the latest sourcing. So: "Avelo is non-union" is technically false, but "Avelo FAs have a union contract" is also false — certified-without-contract-and-contested is the accurate frame. This can flip three ways (contract signed, decertified, or status quo), so check aveloafa.org and NMB news before treating any union claim as current.
Aggregated 2026 postings report a minimum age of 21, a high school diploma or GED, and a valid passport for Avelo flight attendants.
Requirements change between hiring windows — confirm them on the Avelo Airlines careers page before you apply.
Data compiled from airline careers pages, union publications, industry press, and candidate-reported interview intel — wave-dependent facts carry as-of dates. Candidate reports are unofficial; confirm requirements on the airline's own careers site.