Avelo Airlines is set to end its flights from Salem-Willamette Valley Airport on August 10, 2025, marking the end of commercial air service for the city after nearly two years of operations. This decision follows the airline's announcement to close its Burbank, California base by December 2, 2025, and to cease all West Coast operations later this year.
The closure of the Burbank hub, one of Avelo's earliest operational centers, was confirmed by CEO Andrew Levy on July 14, 2025. Levy emphasized that this was a difficult decision, noting, "Our company’s deepest operational roots are in BUR, having launched our first flight there over four years ago during the COVID pandemic." However, he added that the current service to Burbank, including flights to Salem, "will not deliver adequate financial returns in a highly competitive backdrop." Consequently, the airline plans to reduce service to Burbank on August 12, 2025, down to a single aircraft before fully closing the base in December.
Salem's air service began in October 2023 when Avelo introduced flights to Burbank and Las Vegas, restoring commercial air routes to the city after a nearly 15-year hiatus. The airline had also briefly added a third weekly flight to Sonoma County, California, in early 2024, although this was discontinued within months. Despite scaling back some routes, such as reducing Las Vegas service to seasonal flights, Avelo's presence brought significant economic benefits. According to local air service consultants, Salem's first year of commercial air service generated $19 million in regional economic impact through hotel stays and local spending, with nearly $31.7 million infused by 37,142 visitors from October 2023 to March 2025.
Brent DeHart, chair of the Fly Salem group that advocated for the return of commercial flights, expressed disappointment over Avelo's departure. He highlighted the strong demand for flights, stating that Salem consistently had among the fullest planes on Avelo’s West Coast routes. On one recent flight to Burbank, 145 of 147 seats were filled. "We’re at a loss," DeHart said. "Why would you cancel in the middle of the heavy travel season?"
The airline’s exit has left passengers scrambling for alternatives. Mike Sewell, a Salem attorney, had four round-trip flights from Eugene to Burbank canceled and now faces significantly higher costs booking last-minute tickets. "Having commercial service right here in Salem really made a meaningful difference," he said. Similarly, Tim Lewis, planning to visit his daughter in Los Angeles, lamented the inconvenience of losing convenient local flights and now must consider traveling to Portland or Eugene to catch flights.
Avelo spokeswoman Courtney Goff clarified that the decision to cease Salem flights was linked to the Burbank base closure and not specific to Salem’s market. She said, "We believe the continuation service from BUR in the current operating environment will not deliver adequate financial returns in a highly competitive backdrop. We intend to redeploy these BUR aircraft to business areas where we see more efficient, longer-term growth prospects, while also building depth and breadth to our East Coast operation." Employees at Burbank will be offered transfers within the airline’s network.
The airline is also ending flights from Eugene, Oregon, in December 2025, with the last flights scheduled for December 1. By mid-August, Avelo will exit three stations and cut seven West Coast routes, including flights connecting Salem, Burbank, Las Vegas, Santa Rosa, Redmond, and Kalispell. Salem, Las Vegas, and Santa Rosa will no longer be regularly served.
However, Avelo has faced considerable controversy in recent months. The airline agreed to provide deportation flights for the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency out of Arizona, sparking protests in Salem and other cities. Activists with the Coalition to Stop Avelo, a nationwide campaign opposing these deportation flights, claimed credit for the airline’s decision to cease operations in Salem and Burbank, calling it a "major milestone." Yet, Avelo officials denied that protests influenced their business decisions, with spokeswoman Courtney Goff stating, "Protests had no effect on our decision and did not impact our business in Salem." Meanwhile, Matthew Boulay of the Oregon-based Stop Avelo Coalition described Avelo as a "poorly financed, poorly managed company" and called the ICE contract "a morally bankrupt deal with the devil." He attributed the airline’s cuts to both a shrinking business model and the growing power of organized opposition, asserting, "These protests are working."
Salem city officials have been caught off guard by the announcement. Interim City Manager Krishna Namburi revealed during a July 14 council meeting that the airline notified the city earlier that day about withdrawing from West Coast markets. The city is assessing the financial impact of the departure, with a report expected on July 28. The city had invested millions in renovating the airport terminal and increasing staffing to accommodate commercial flights, and Avelo had benefited from subsidies totaling $1.2 million, including $850,000 from federal grants and $350,000 from local business and resident contributions. After the first year, the airline had used $446,000 of these funds.
Travel Salem officials expressed a commitment to recruiting a new airline, viewing the situation as an opportunity to proactively expand air travel options and strengthen the regional economy. "While it’s disappointing to see an airline end its service in Salem — especially given the positive economic impact — we understand this decision was tied to broader changes in the airline’s West Coast operations," they said. Similarly, Salem Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Hoffert emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum for regional economic development and expressed hope for landing another commercial airline soon.
Fly Salem and other local advocates remain optimistic. DeHart noted that the private funds used for revenue guarantees could be redirected to attract a new carrier, and he believes Salem’s strong load factors demonstrate viable demand. "Salem’s kind of a victim of circumstance here because we didn’t make the mistakes that Avelo made that put them in a position to make this decision," he said. The goal is to secure service to at least two of Salem’s most popular destinations: Phoenix, Las Vegas, and the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.
As Salem faces the loss of its only commercial airline, the community is left navigating the challenges of reduced connectivity and the search for new opportunities in regional air travel. The coming months will be critical in determining the future of commercial flights in this Pacific Northwest city.
