New direct connection between Puerto Rico and Central Florida

The executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Carlos Mercado Santiago, announced that on Saturday, October 26, 2024, the first flight of the Avelo Airlines airline will land covering the route from Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida, to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

The direct flight will be available twice a week throughout the year with an increase to four weekly frequencies during the month of December.

The Lakeland (LAL) – San Juan (SJU) route is the second that Avelo adds to its itinerary outside the continental United States, after beginning offering service between the regional airport in Tweed-New Haven and the island’s main airport in November 2023.

The flight will add over 20,000 seats to the inventory and is estimated to have an economic impact of more than $6.3 million in its first year of operation.

“The strengthening and expansion of air access to the island is key to the full development of the local tourism industry, so negotiations to attract new airlines and the increase in routes and frequencies is decisive for everyone. We share the enthusiasm of Avelo management with this new non-stop route since this new service between Puerto Rico and Florida will result in economic benefits for the entire tourism industry,” said Mercado Santiago.

For his part, the airline’s founder and chief executive officer, Andrew Levy said that, “Avelo continues to inspire our customers to travel to Puerto Rico from some of the most convenient airports in the United States and we are very proud to be able to add a second connection to San Juan via Lakeland. This direct route will allow travelers in both Florida and Puerto Rico to enjoy popular destinations at an affordable price and with our customary quality service.”

In addition to increasing the number of routes between Florida and Puerto Rico, the flight offers an economical option to people looking to enjoy an excellent Caribbean vacation and to the Puerto Rican diaspora who like to travel to the island to spend time with their family and reconnect with their roots.