CHARLOTTESVILLE (WINA) – Until today, there were no nonstop flights between Charlottesville and Florida, but Tuesday morning at CHO, it was “hello, Avelo” and direct flights to and from Orlando. Avelo is a new low-cost airline headquartered in Houston, TX, that serves 34 cities right now (Charlottesville becomes #34), and they are beginning direct flights between CHO and Orlando International Airport on Mondays and Fridays. At the announcement Tuesday morning at CHO, Avelo Communications Director Courtney Goff said they’ll fly 737s with passenger capacity between 155 and 185, and one-way tickets can be booked starting at $49.

CHO COO Jason Burch says the hope is this is just the start of a beautiful friendship that could prime the pump for more Florida service. He says every year, Orlando and Florida’s beaches are among the top 10-to-15 among CHO customers’ demand. Burch said until today, CHO was one of the largest airports in the nation without nonstop service to Florida.

Click here to check out Avelo and flight information.